So since my big debut on Huffington Post, I haven’t written
a blog in a few weeks (LOL!). I know, I know, no need to get the big head after
just one national pick up, but I am still riding high!
Things have been going along since my last entry. A few bumps
in the road, but hey, that’s the life of a mom.
I did want to take a bit of serious turn in this post though. Most of you know my hair is natural right
(meaning I don’t have a perm)? One of
the founders of a line of natural hair care products (that I’ve used a lot) called Miss. Jessie's recently
committed suicide. Titi Branch was a beautiful 45-year-old woman with a bright
future and a thriving business. She and
her boyfriend had even started a recent line for men.
In the days since her suicide I’ve heard people say, things
like “wow, she had so much going for her,” or, “wonder what was so terrible
that she thought her only choice was to take her own life?” Some even wanted to
debate suicide as a religious issue and whether she had time to ask God for
forgiveness before she died.
Questions and comments like these still show that society
can sometimes struggle with understanding that depression isn’t a choice. And
while a person may seem as if they have the world at their fingertips, dealing
with a mental illness colors the way they see the world and everything around
them. People battling depression and other forms of mental illness don’t’
choose to be mentally ill or suicidal, anymore than a person can choose to have
cancer.
Branch is one in a line of many celebrities and notables
who, over the past few months, have take their own lives because they lost
their battle with depression. According to the National Alliance for Mental
Illness, the holiday season is always a difficult time for someone battling depression
or any form of mental illness. Oftentimes it is because they are missing a
loved one who has passed away, or their financial situation may have changed
and they can’t afford to purchase gifts the way they have in the past. While those kinds of situations can make
anyone sad, it is often intensified for someone battling mental illness.
I urge all of you to take the time to check on a loved one
battling mental illness during this time of year. Make sure to encourage them to venture out of
the house and spend time with friends and family. If you haven’t heard from him or her in a day
or so, stop by or call.
And if you or someone you love is struggling during this
holiday season, or any time of year, don’t be ashamed to ask for help. And if a
loved comes to you in despair, don’t judge them or waste time trying to
understand how something that seems trivial could send them into a tailspin –
just get them help and do it quickly.
I know I have said it in the past but I think it’s worth
repeating: remember that mental illness is real; just because you can’t see it
on an X-ray or an ultrasound, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
For more information on the signs to watch for or how to
help, visit www.nami.org
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| TITI BRANCH - May You Rest in Peace |
