Good Morning! Here’s the Monday Morning Blog!
How was your week? Did you check in with that teen or young adult in your life? We spent the weekend at the family cabin with ours; getting more things set up for cabin season. A little fishing, log splitting, and most of all family time. We also celebrated with their half-sister, Amanda, as she turned thirty-five on Saturday.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
This month I’ll be focusing my posts on Mental Health issues, not only to raise awareness, but to provide resources to learn more about it and find help if you need it. While one in five people will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health.
People have multiple sides. Sides people see and sides people don’t see. Like having a professional life everyone sees and a personal life most people don’t. Carrie Fisher was no exception. The side we all saw was a successful, up and coming actress. The side we didn’t see was a lady struggling with mental illness.
Inspiring People – Carrie Fisher
Like they say, don’t judge anyone until you have walked a mile in their shoes. You really don’t know what problems they may be dealing with and trying to overcome. Some people are able to put on a happy face when they are sad. Who would have known that a successful actress like Carrie Fisher was fighting a mental illness?
As I was looking for someone to write about who had an association with mental illness, I was surprised when her name came up. I remember seeing her when Star Wars originally hit the movie screens in 1977. Her character was the tomboy that I typically saw myself as. With most people we see in the movies, who they play as a character on the screen may not be how they are in real life. It made me realize that she was more than just the character I saw on the screen.
She grew up with the Hollywood lifestyle. Her mom and dad were both well-known actors and she lived around many other well-known actors in California. She went to school and had friends like any normal teenager. And like many other teenagers, she also had parents who were dealing with their own addiction and mental illness issues. Her dad, Eddie Fisher was addicted to drugs and gambling and her mom, Debbie Reynolds was dealing with the trauma of Eddie leaving her for Elizabeth Taylor. The high-profile divorce would affect Carrie by not seeing her dad and not seeing her mom very much. Debbie Reynolds was focused on her acting career and when she was home, she had to rest and didn’t spend much time with her children. Despite seeing what Hollywood could do to a person, Carrie also became an actress while dealing with her own mental illness issues.
Inspiring quotes from Carrie Fisher
According to health.com’s article, “8 Times Carrie Fisher Shattered the Stigma on Mental Illness”, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of twenty-nine. Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of depression and mania. Here are a couple of quotes from Fisher on her view of dealing with the disorder.
Why getting help is crucial
“Without medication I would not be able to function in the world. Medication has made me a good mother, a good friend, and a good daughter.” – February 2001
Like I mentioned in my post last week, Teen Issue – Anxiety vs. Anxiety Disorders, feeling anxious isn’t fun, but could be just a normal reaction to stress you are feeling. Too much anxiety or an abnormal body chemistry can lead to an anxiety disorder that can be treated or managed. Reach out for help when you are feeling anxious. There are people around you that want to help you either deal with the anxiety you are feeling or help you manage it if its more of a disorder.
On chasing your dreams, despite your diagnosis
“Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually confidence will follow.” – April 2013
This bit of advice is good for everyone. Confidence doesn’t typically come before doing something new. You may feel anxious or scared to do it, but that is a normal reaction. Have faith that if you just do it, confidence in yourself and the action you are taking will follow.
Learn more about Carrie Fisher
If you would like to learn more about Carrie Fisher, check out her website carriefisher.com.
Website Launch coming this Friday!
Looking forward to seeing my refreshed website design? It will be going live on Friday! Be sure to stop back and take a look.
Have a great week!
