If you know me, you know that I’m an advocate for breaking the stigma around Postpartum Depression. I’m not afraid to talk about it, and at times I even get fairly loud and passionate about sharing my story – primarily because it IS my passion. You might see me waving my arms around and shedding some tears (remember, I also cry!), and I could even just give you a giant hug out of nowhere – yes, I’m a hugger (did you notice my logo: Love and Mommy Hugs).
The recent, shocking suicide of Robin Williams really struck a cord for me. It really hit home and my heart wept a little bit. It was another reminder to me that DEPRESSION DOESN’T DISCRIMINATE! It doesn’t matter your financial, social, marital, parental, living or work situation. It doesn’t matter your race, culture or ethnicity. It doesn’t matter how hard you try to prevent it – to “not get it” (as if it’s something you can walk right by on the shelf at the grocery store). Depression doesn’t care how the world sees you, it doesn’t care how happy or joyful your life is perceived to be. Depression happens most of the time by sneaking in and latching on to the least suspecting target. Depression doesn’t discriminate…
This week I’ve been focused a lot on how life would be different for so many people if the stigma of Postpartum Depression, and all mental illnesses for that matter, was obliterated. What would the world be like if the stigma bubble surrounding the millions upon millions of people who suffer through mental illness all alone, afraid to speak up, guilty and ashamed, thinking they are the only one and that the world will judge them if they open up, burst? What would it take to pop that bubble? Like a giant pink Bubblicious Bubble Gum bubble that gets stuck to your face from your chin to your forehead? What would it take to pop that stigma bubble?
There’s a lot I could speculate on, I lot I could just “talk” about – honestly, I don’t know all the details surrounding the tragic loss of Robin Williams (it’s not my place to go digging) – but I won’t. I’ll stay in the zone of what I DO know – and that is: we are more alike than we ever would think. I would bet that the person next to you has probably felt or thought the same or similar thing. I would bet that someone you know has experienced something similar, if not the exact same thing. I know that we are often afraid to talk about what’s going on in our lives for fear of judgment – I still fall into that trap, even today… I’m human, like the rest of us. But the more we feel like we have to hide, the more we are hurting ourselves, and in turn hurting those around us.
The point I’m making, my intention for this post, is to just raise awareness a little bit more, and to remind ourselves not to judge people. Judgment is not our responsibility. Our responsibility is to love people; to make them feel safe and special; to offer them compassion and caring; to give them hope.
If the stigma of mental illness disappeared, I wonder how many lives might be saved?
With Love & Mommy Hugs…