I am an advocate for depression and mental health issues. I speak openly about my own suffering. In January, I published a post about my brush with suicide. Which was fucking hard. It's still hard. Not a day goes by that I don't feel uncomfortable around my friends, my colleagues or my family, because I know that they know my darkest secret. I wonder what they're thinking. Did my announcement make them afraid for me? Afraid of me?
I shared my experience because the public forum for this topic doesn't exist. It is not a free topic of discussion. It is not safe for sufferers to discuss. It is a great, dirty secret. I can tell you that I still fear being ostracised because of my condition. I work so hard to manage my problems and stay on top of things. I've been lucky enough to have a wonderful network of friends and family around me, to support me when I can't support myself, to allow me to share my secrets openly.
This morning, the papers are plastered with the news of Andreas Lubitz and his own great, dirty secret. They call for answers. "How did he pass his medical assessments?", "Who allowed him to work in such a field?", "Who do we blame?".
People who suffer from mental health issues aren't a pox to be scourged. We aren't a pest to be controlled. We aren't the shit on your shoe that got dragged into your house, on your precious fucking carpet. We aren't a mysterious creature, to be discussed openly without our own input.
Open your hearts to Andreas Lubitz and every other individual like him. In his last moments, all he knew was the inviting warmth of the end of his life. No more suffering, no more pain. Walking away from suicide is the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life. In my case, I wasn't flying a plane full of people, but all I can tell you is that in those moments, the promise of relief drowns out any and every other notion in your mind. It is a terrible tragedy, but that should not allow mental health issues to be stigmatised any further.
If you are not a sufferer, inform yourself. Learn to notice the symptoms, create a safe space.
You can find more information on depression and mental health issues here - http://psychcentral.com/
