As the last night of September concludes, I give myself permission to write from the heart:
It’s suicide awareness month, the National Health Observance month was first introduced to me by a shared Instagram post from a fraternal sister (officially brother, though I advocate for title to be modernized), initially created by @hopefortheday. Their slogan constitutes three direct sentences, the 1st capture my attention far more than any suicide prevention phrase I have read, sincerely:
“The #1 obstacle in prevention is silence.
We are in this together.
Have hope.”
The post felt like an indirect hug of appreciation from the sister and the global community as a whole, because, I did it, I am overcoming one of the most subtle and shunned of Diseases (2nd only to addiction, though their relations may be closer than one would dare to admit) by living the Movement’s message, being sincere and proactive about major depression and it’s eventual elimination.
The war is not over; the illness’ front lines collapsed, and it’s has committed itself to a full retreat; It’s on its heels; it’s weak; It’s desperate to survive. However, its most proven tactic, its greatest trick, has yet to be orchestrated, and time only bolsters its effectiveness. The tactic is catastrophic for the victim if recovery from depression is slightly neglected, for many reasons, one of which is the celebration of war yet won.
The tactic is this: convincing the world, and the victim, that it doesn’t exist.
Its wit is sharp and ready, and it’s clinging to its last remaining strength to engage in its final counter-attack.
What now? What is there to do, to strategize, and to learn from when the war appears to be won?
Keep pressing forward, keep planning a positive future without it’s the presence of depression, and aim to win the war by it conceding absolute and conditional surrender. As Winston Churchill once said after the news of D-Day’s success:
“This is not the end,
it is not even the beginning of the end,
but it is
perhaps
the end of the beginning.”
I’m taking extreme ownership of this mental illness’ extermination from my body.
With Love and Sincerity,
Jose Michael Rubio