On growing up I was told “Be Kind to everyone you meet, for they are struggling with something you know nothing about”.
It seemed funny then but now that I’m older, I have found out that there is a lot of truth in this. The Italians have it that life on this side of the sphere is too hard, they have two Dads; a biological and a Godfather. Amazing
How do you tell whether your spouse/colleague is struggling with mental illness? And how do you help them overcome it?
We must learn to pay attention to non-verbal cues and be extremely sensitive to changes in behavior. In societies where there is often a lot of pressure to man up or be wife material, it is imperative that we are very supportive of each other.
Should you notice a sudden change in behaviour, then be there to support your colleague/partner. Enquire and be empathetic; help them out where you can. We’ve heard sad stories of people who have taken their own life because of guilt, shame, cyber bullying, body shaming and more.
I would encourage all of us to be more careful with the words we mete out. Words are lethal; they pierce like a sword and reach the innermost parts of the belly. We would rather dish out pleasant words like a honeycomb and open rebuke when is necessary in full knowledge of the condition of our partner. Otherwise, you may tear down your own house with your own two hands.
Let us be extra sensitive and aware of our surroundings. Let us learn to listen beyond the words that are being uttered e.g. when someone says ‘I don’t need anyone right now’ it is likely that what they are saying is: ‘I need to be loved right now, I am in pain’
Let us together work towards a healthy mind, a healthy soul and a healthy body and we will have healthy families, healthy workplaces and a healthy world. Go out and make a difference to someone’s life. Until we speak again, I am your host Mitchell Odhiambo. Welcome to a man’s world. To get a female perspective on this, please read Mercy’s post HERE
