The Rest Of The Story... (aka: Self-indulging Oversharing Too Much Information Post, Part 2)1/15/2018
The following is from a Facebook post I made last night...
Yes... let’s talk... Yesterday I was invited to the Pats game and someone also walking in the door stopped me to say I had lost a lot of weight and it was clear that I was taking things very seriously(as far as the diabetes diagnosis). They then shared that they went through the “same thing” in their family. In line walking into the Brandt Centre wasn’t the place to dig deeper into the conversation, but clearly they had read my blog from last month. I wish the other challenges I’ve been overcoming were as easy to notice as the physical, but the random support was appreciated. Soon, stories of people dealing with mental health issues will flood social media as part of one of the most famous campaigns in the world, but I tell you this now as someone who has lived the shame... the solitude... and survived it... there is hope. You don’t need to suffer alone. I’ve learned that support may not come from where you expect, and you can’t expect everyone in the world to sympathize or even understand. Still, and again I base this on my personal experiences, finding the strength to be honest with yourself and accept what you can and can’t control is a big step. Like before, I share this not to garner sympathy, but in the hopes that it connects with someone who might be living in the darkness. To quote a very good friend of mine, “It’s ok to feel blue... don’t go black”. It WILL get better - and people DO care.
Since making this post, the feedback has been very kind. However, it was a private message that made me realize that had I not found the help I needed, things could have gone a lot differently...
I'll be completely honest. Since this all started, I'm not that big of a fan of seeking attention - which is odd for a guy whose career has basically been trying to get anyone to pay attention for the better part of 15 years. While very nice, the praise in that message is unnecessary. This is a lot for some people to take in, and in today's "DON'T OVERSHARE" society, the wild west of social media may be just as quick to ignore or mock this post as it is to accept it, but that part doesn't matter right now.
This comment brought back some truth I didn't want to acknowledge about myself. I've got a lot of good in my life, yet the brain works in strange ways - it took a lot of work to see it again. I have a better understanding of the physiology (Remember: everything psychological is biological), and the forgiveness I've had to show myself and others for what has gone on up until this point. This comment made it even more real for me - and may be for someone else out there right now. There have been other messages and comments, and I encourage anyone who wants to talk to me or someone else about this to do so... when you're ready. - MM
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