When Was The Last Time You Asked Yourself "Am I OK?"
September 12 2024 – Sonia Stackhouse
16 years ago, I dramatically fell into one big messy heap.
My body shook to the point I could not even hold a glass of water without spilling it, my brain dumped any information that was not crucial to my basic survival. Names, memories, words, even pin numbers - were all gone in one fell swoop.
I was a broken shell of the Sonia that you know today.
I didn't know WHO I was anymore... but I did know enough to know that I was not OK. In fact, I was very very far from being OK.
PTSD, Anxiety and the deepest darkest Depression I could ever imagine literally stole my entire identity.
24 hours before this played out... if you had seen me - you probably wouldn't have suspected a thing because like millions of people who suffer silently, I was very very good as disguising my internal anguish by masking my face with a big smile and a Pollyanna persona.
If I thought my accident(s) had already robbed me of all I had to give - the battle that even I had not seen coming would prove otherwise as it went on to steal another two years from my family and I.
In reality - two years was nothing compared to what Depression and Mental Health issues are capable of stealing from us.
I'm one of the 'lucky' ones.
In time, I healed and I'm here today sharing my story.
Sadly, so many others are not.
Our mental health is a very delicate thing. It's something we too often, (albeit mostly unintentionally) take for granted and in our busyness of life... we do not give it or ourselves enough care and attention.
For the most part, we are really good at checking in and looking after those around us, but when was the last time you checked in on yourself and asked "Am I OK?".
On today, RUOK Day AND every day - I urge you to not only check in with those around you, but take the time to check in with yourself too and if you find yourself struggling to hold your head above water - please, wave that arm above your head because you do not need to struggle alone.
You just need 5 courageous seconds to whisper the words to someone "I'm not doing OK" and then accept the help that I know (and YOU know), you would so willingly give to anyone else.
There are many resources available to anyone who needs help (I will share some of these below), but as with any health issues - prevention is always better than a cure and I will harp on about this until the day I can no longer speak... it is time we stop seeing self care as being self indulgent or selfish even - and see it instead as an absolute necessity.
NO ONE should suffer silently or feel like they need to 'fake it'.
We need to take as much care (if not more) of our minds and mental health as we do our physical bodies and as always - we need to take care of each other.
Big hugs and much love to you all.
xx Sonia
Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36 or beyondblue.org.au
Black Dog Institute: blackdoginstitute.com.au
Headspace: 1800 650 850 or headspace.org.au
Kids Help Line Phone:
1800 551 800 www.kidshelp.com.au
13YARN Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line: 13 92 76