Sorry about the blog absence last week, but I was in the hospital and didn't have access to my laptop. I spent 9 days in the hospital, and now I'm on a month long hiatus from my day job until I get some therapy out of the way. My doctor practically ordered me to keep writing though, so that's what I'm going to do.
Himself is still working for Kirby but he's looking for something with a steadier income so we can get out of Twitchy's house sooner. He's got a couple interviews lined up for next week, so send good thoughts his way. One is almost the same hourly wage as I get ($11/hr), so we'd have a lot more to work with and that would be lovely. Instead of living from my paycheck to my next paycheck.
Writing is going well. I've put in almost 15k on the novel this week since I got home, and hope to finish it by the end of the month. I've got some other projects that need to be finished, and I've got some side stories I want to write because the side characters interest me as much as the main characters. The side stories probably won't ever see publication but they're going to be fun to write. I may save them until November, when I do NaNoWriMo again though.
I'm going to deviate from my usual SFU for a moment. I want to talk to you about a subject that is both serious and very important to me: mental illnesses. I myself am bipolar. I suffer from depression, mania, and anxiety - mostly depression and anxiety. My mental illness was part of what got me hospitalized. It, along with unattended health issues, knocked me off my feet.
NAMI has a great definition for mental illness. My favorite part of the definition is: "Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing." It also mentions that it's treatable, which it is through therapy, counseling, and medication. Coping skills can be taught and medication can help stabilize moods.
There's even an institute to deal with mental health issues (NIMH). Now, aside from the terrifying portrayal of them in "The Secret of NIMH", the National Institute for Mental Health has a lot of good information available to those who either suffer from mental illnesses or the families of those who have to live with those who suffer from mental illnesses.
One thing I've seen which breaks my heart is a lack of support from friends and family members. Friends abandon individuals with mental health issues. Family members go after them to "get their head on straight" and to "get over it". You can't get over it. It's treatable but not curable.
If you know someone with a mental illness, don't turn away from them. Offer them love and support even if it seems like they don't want it. Mental illness can make people do strange things, and one of them is isolate themselves to avoid any further pain. Don't let them. Isolation and a feeling of being alone is often what leads to suicide among those with mental illnesses. Let them know you're always there for them no matter how often they tell you they don't need help.
Now, for a lighter note...this week we're going to have some Simon's Cat videos instead of my usual music videos.
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