There is this idea in the new age movement that there is no such thing as mental health issues
That love can fix everything and that everyone is equally as welcome
A belief that there is always a gift that comes from mental confusion
An oversimplification of the trauma model
An idea that fasting will fix everything (tell that to someone with a complex eating disorder)
The idea that the brain can be rewired has lead to condescending platitudes and the idea that if you are suffering then it simply means that you aren’t trying hard enough
That if you just learn to love yourself first then you will be loved by others
Self love can be a big ask of someone who is struggling to get out of bed and filled with apathy
It isn’t always true that if you are struggling then it is necessarily a consequence of the decisions that you made
No child chooses to be beaten or abused
There are patterns of doubt and fear that can be so repetitive that it is difficult to extinguish
It is spiritual privilege to think otherwise
To think this way ignores the fact that children’s brains can be wired to be hyper vigilant to fear and that this can change the shape of the brain and the entire endocrine system
The continued flood of cortisol in a system can lead to a feedback loop that is being constantly triggered
Everyone does not start on the same page
Some of the pages are torn out or burnt and left blowing in the wind
Some people can be so damaged that people will not feel comfortable around them
Psychosisis not always creative and paranoia will not necessarily lead to enlightenment
Depression can not always be lifted by yoga and positive affirmations
In the depths of despair positive affirmations can sound so far from perceived reality that the words just don’t touch the sides
Anxiety can’t always be fixed with massages, chanting and a good dose of sage
I agree that the chattels of spirituality and raising the vibration can definitely help in most situations
But there are levels of disorder that are so disturbing that people will not be comfortable around them
There are loops of the disturbed mind that are so circular that they can potentially drive other people out of their minds
Rotten teeth and rumination do not a Summer make
It isn’t always because people don’t care or that either party mean to offend
But at some point any beautiful light filled being will become uncomfortable with the ride and be unsure of how to help
As will the tormented being who has spent 24 hours a day spinning around in that space
Neither party will know how to disengage and it will become easier for both parties to walk away
Such is the dance
The long dark teatime of the soul isn’t a place to go if you want to chill and enjoy your life
Just realise that the discomfort is often mutual
Even at the most disturbed moments there was always a part of me that knew how badly I affected the people around me
Awkward is a dish best served in someone else’s kitchen
