The Only Place

JKLTip Find the places and activities most likely to bring you joy and do as much of them as possible
Football Field

You know how sometimes you don’t want something until you know you can’t have it and then all of a sudden you really, really want it? That’s the case when it comes to my medical records. I work with youth with severe mental health needs. When I myself was a teenager I had very complex mental health needs too. 

I thought it would be really neat to retrieve the notes from my psychologist. I didn’t know exactly what I would do with them, but I knew it would involve some sort of content to spread awareness for mental health. It would be interesting to reflect on what I said and what they would give me for advice. If nothing else, it would be interesting to look back on the notes just because. I figured if I could get a hold of them and flip through that some creative inspiration would come to me. 

Then I learned that they could and did destroy the records after a certain period of time. That makes sense to me. It was pre “cloud” storage days, so it would be boxes of paper just sitting around. I was disappointed to know I couldn’t get my hands on them. FYI, I did call a second time to place one last ditch effort and confirm. They’re gone. 

Like anything in life I am trying to take a glass seven eights full approach and say things happen “for a reason.” All this means is that I will have to create some stories myself. The sad thing is I don’t remember as much. But one thing that stands out that I feel parents, teachers and perhaps anyone dealing with anxiety, or depression might benefit from is finding our places.

The Field

It took a very long time to feel like anything about talking was actually helping me. It’s weird when you go to see someone how you feel in your conscious mind that nothing seems to help. Yet, in your subconscious there’s something about it that can keep you going back.

One day I remember explaining how my life always felt like a Batman movie. Everything was dark, like I was in a cave no matter where I went. Every day I saw the world with dark contrast, shadows and everything in black and grey tones. 

One day when we were chatting he asked, is there any time, or place that you don’t feel like this? It struck me, the answer was yes. I never really felt that way on the football field. Engaged in sport, at full speed I would see in full colour. Things just didn’t feel dark, onerous, or depressing. His response was equally memorable. He said, “well, we have a lot of work to do. But, for now the most important thing is to spend as much time as possible in that world.”

I should also mention that later on my struggles followed me to the football field, so it’s not like some magical thing. I don’t think depression, or anxiety really care where you are. But, it was definitely the only one place I had a chance of feeling good.

I think that we are so complex in the way our emotions manifest that a post like this does little justice, but I hope you can take one thing away. I hope if there is any place, or activity that is a big relief for you that you schedule ways to go to your places as often and as much as possible.

* Let’s work together: 8 Billion People
** Read Why Just Keep Learning: JKL Post


Tags

Mental Health


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