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Meeting the challenge of modern life
True life: From my perspective and experience the road to mental health is a journey of discovery and adventure.
It is a courageous confrontation of fear, pain and sadness. A journey that at times is reliant on the support of others, but ultimately a solitary quest for one’s true self. It can often start with a violent plunge into the core of self, and can be a slow climb out, but in that climb one gets to see and touch all the layers which make up the whole.
A mental health struggle should not be viewed as an unlucky affliction, it is, and should be realised as, an exciting voyage into the unknown, an expedition of unexplored territory on which, of course, there will be times of struggle and fear, but also times of triumph and joy. If an individual confronting their mental health problems was to understand their experience in this light; wouldn’t that help remove the fear and anxiety surrounding their situation? In this story there are no victims, only heroes and who is more likely to win the battle?
In my opinion the most valuable service that could be provided to an individual on an inner journey is one which doesn’t just treat mental illness, but provides a safe, positive space to explore it and all the paths it leads to.
For this ‘outlook of the journey’ to be effective, it would need to extend beyond those in the field of mental health, and into society as a whole, particularly youth culture. We need to tackle the stigma attached to mental health problems and normalize all mental health issues to cultivate a society where someone engaging with their mental health issues doesn’t just receive sympathy and pity from their peers, but understanding and respect. A society where someone’s brave quest through their inner space is admired as much another’s adventure through Thailand…where an inner journey is honoured as much as an outer one.
Modern society, the society that all my peers and I have grown up in, is one of mass consumerism. Corporate agendas dominate our world. Computers, films, TV, magazines, cafés, pubs, trains, buses, music, even schools are manipulated by and convey messages of these corporate agendas. We are the target audience of thousands of advertising and marketing campaigns. As a result, as we grow we are seduced into various different marketed identities where we are subtly influenced on what to say, do, think, aim to, dream of and desire. We are given limited or no space to explore our own desires and dreams, or to develop our own identities.
For the most part we are not aware that this is happening, we don’t consciously acknowledge the confinement we’re in. This creates desperate confusion and sometimes guilt, particularly about the thoughts and feelings that don’t fit into these ‘pre-constructed boxes’. Experiencing constant confusion, guilt, and a missing sense of identity for no apparent reason is definitely going to have an extreme effect on one’s own mental health. This extreme distance from our own individual truth means that our journey to find it is going to be much more difficult.
I believe that mental health problems are not only a negative product of this system and society, but also a positive response to it; the shedding of the skin of a marketed identity, the breaking of the chains of society’s expectations to allow for one’s true self to shine through with no limitations.
To conclude, in my opinion when one engages in a positive manner with their mental health issues and problems it can be a liberating process which opens a door to a remarkable and exciting adventure…and every young person should be encouraged and given the opportunity to do just that.
Taken from Sinéad Corcoran’s speech at the Public Forum “Time to Act on Youth Mental Health” on, June 20th 2006, UCD. Sinéad is a student, and member of the Youth Advisory Panel for Headline, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health.
By Sinéad Corcoran
See the help section for contacts details of support organisations.
This article is part of the SpunOut.ie true life stories section – a space for young people to share their experiences of tough times and encourage others to seek help. This story is just one person's experience and it may be different for you. Remember that no matter what you are going through, there is help and support available. See the Find help section for more information: http://www.spunout.ie/help/
