Let’s talk about mental health issues, it’s typically a subject that many don’t understand, it’s not like a having a cold or flu.

Some people are truly blessed because they have never suffered from any of the mental health issues, but I figure that everyone has suffered from anxiety problems which fall under “mental health”.

I know someone who has never had a depressed day in their life and believe that being depressed is “a choice”

To this person “everything is about choice”

But trying to dispel this notion from this person didn’t make sense to them.

It was like trying to describe colour to a blind person, they just couldn’t comprehend the dynamics of the problem and how it affects their lives.

If mental illness was just a choice then surely nobody would “choose” to be depressed. There would be no need for psychiatric medical professionals or antidepressants.

Its always been a topic that many people don’t want to discuss. Behind closed doors there are w

hispers and private conversations which didn’t really address the issues. I’m not a medical professional or psychology student I’m just a poet who has developed a method of dealing with my condition by writing my thoughts and feelings down and creating poetry from the tangle of thoughts and feelings which encircles my life on a daily basis. Most if not all of my writings are attributed to circumstances which normally would have just bounced around my head. But having nobody to share anything with or talk to about my issues was (although depressing in itself) was a catalyst that forced me to find another way of dealing with them. One day I began writing, I didn’t have a plan or direction of what I should say. Everything was jumbled up, thoughts, ideas, pain, confusion, I had to make sense of what I was thinking about so I decided to use it as a stage for my poetry.

Yes most of it is “Dark” I couldn’t help that because most if not all was based upon my condition and experiences. I tried to find some “lighter” topics to write about something less dark because I knew that I didn’t just exist in darkness. But one thing about being human is that negativity seems to outshine the positive things that happen in your life. You recall more bad things about yourself than good times which tend to sparkle like stars on a sea of darkness. Speaking personally for every good day I’ve had I’ve had at least 5 bad days so my poetry reflects the difference.

I want to bring the spotlight right back onto mental health issues.

There are different mechanisms that work for many people to ease their journeys through their problems, for me it’s poetry, writing down my thoughts and releasing them so I’m not carrying around the burdens which used to crush me. Some people take drugs, or drink alcohol to relieve the pressure of their problems, myself (I’ve tried many) only found writing became my strength in times of need.

Everybody has “mental health issues” nobody is actually immune. Some refuse to acknowledge it or even discuss the probability. Mental health is just a label it doesn’t necessarily mean that your negatively affected like some Mental health is also about positive issues It covers a wide spectrum of emotional and physical problems ranging from the joyful to the desolate. But who likes to admit or even discuss mental health issues, it’s like a “taboo” subject, it’s like admitting your weak or unintelligent nobody would rush to be so candid. It’s only been in the last few years that this subject has developed into media and social networks and is openly talked about by members of society from Royalty and celebrities to the homeless person on the street. But still it’s a subject that divides people.

Written by Mark Hodges

Guest writer @Poemstellium

This was written in accordance of bringing awareness to anxiety for Mental Health Awareness Week