Hello everyone and most especially the beautiful ladies of Hive! 🤗 It's been a while and I'm glad to finally be back on making LOH contest entries. Also, I'd like to invite @hopestylist and @mercysugar to participate as well.
Below is the prompt I'll be writing on:
1️⃣ Do you know how to be an effective advocate for your beloved one or friend when they're dealing with a mental health issue? Do you know how to respond, whom to contact for help? Have you ever been faced such a challenge?
Mental health simply involves our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. However, there are some issues that affect how we think, feel, and act. Some of which include; depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, bipolar, addiction, etc.
The truth is that we are all susceptible to mental health issues, no one is above it as it can happen to anybody. And although there are no causes of mental health issues, there are certain factors that contribute to it's risk. Some of which include; trauma, loneliness or isolation, abuse, chemical imbalances in the brain, use of alcohol or drugs, etc.
Dealing with mental health issues isn't easy at all, whether it's the victims or the people who look after them. It comes with a lot of difficulties and sometimes, one can't help but feel helpless.
I've once experienced what it is to care for a victim of depression, which is the most common type of mental disorder. Even though I can't say I'm an effective advocate, I'm proud to have been among those who offered substantial support to her.
Who's “her”? You asked. Well she's a friend who became a beloved one. We met a few years ago in highschool. She was one of the smart students in my class, beautiful and jovial. She was the type who everyone wanted to be friends with. However, everything about her changed when she was hit with a traumatic incident that slid her into great depression.
Her Mom was a victim of cancer which subsequently led to the affected breast being cut off and eventually her death. It was traumatic for my friend to watch her Mom go through those series of painful stages. And despite receiving advanced treatment abroad, it unfortunately proved futile. I'm sure we can imagine how devastating it is to lose a mother 💔😥.
Anyway, Esther, my friend wasn't the same anymore. Although people pitied her, they kept their distance because her attitude changed drastically. But keeping distances only made things worse as she felt isolated and more lonely.
I was literally the only person in class who remained friends with her. I stood by her side and supported her. I made sure to build trust and true friendship with her to the point she forgot her grief. The times she missed school, I'd call or check in at her place and even bring some snacks and notes along. And that was how we became inseperable besties 👭.
Esther's depression, lackadaisical attitude and mood disorders started to fade with time and therapy. Yes, her aunt took her for appointments with a mental health therapist and it helped in her recovery. Although she still has this phobia for death, she's working towards overcoming it.
I'm glad she became a better person even though we're distances apart. Esther now studies medicine at California state university and we still communicate every now and then. She hasn't stopped acknowledging the fact that I made a great impact on her growth and it makes me happy to know that.
This brings us to the conclusion that sometimes, all people need is love, support and someone that'll show care and understanding. Victims of any kind of mental health disorder need as much support as possible. Medications or therapy isn't enough, it's our attitude towards them and how we make them feel that greatly contributes to their healing.
I will admit that there were times Esther and I argued, she would become hopeless and I would feel helpless. I didn't give up though, I'd just pray and give her some space. Afterwards, we'd go back to speaking terms again. It was like a routine but she eventually got better.
THANKS FOR READING! ❤️