It struck hard the news that a second celebrity who seemingly had it all took their own life this past week. Kate Spade was a famous fashion designer and entrepreneur who was reportedly obsessed with Robin Williams death. A telling sign of the times. The other, Anthony Bourdain, a rebel chef, author and television personality who was fascinated by culture and the human condition. He had no filter and was much-loved for his brutal honestly and insight. No matter their wealth of riches, adoring fans and seemingly perfect lives the one thing they shared in common was personal torment. They were completely different people with different lives and interests, but they also shared one other thing in common, they straddled the line and fell over and deep into the other side. It has occurred to me that we all, every single one of us straddle the same line and that it doesn’t take much of anything at all to push a broken soul over. Depression, anxiety are common place and most of us will go through an episode of one or both in our lifetime and then we recover and become healthy again. Others are not so lucky. Life is fast, we are constantly being pressured and I think there is a palpable lack of leadership, certainly at the political level these days. I am not sure if mental health issues are any greater than they were fifty or 100 years ago, but today the world we live in has never been more connected. So, it begs the question, if we are so tethered and caring is this the real life or is it just fantasy (apologies to Freddie Mercury)? It’s a low ball question that requires greater insight and expertise to answer. We are constantly reminded to seek help, to reach out, to hold someone’s hand when our mental health is raw and exposed. However, too many times there is nothing left to hold except for that very fine line I mentioned earlier. And, in too many cases we know how that ends. On Pulse Mornings we intend to seek out experts in the field of mental health. We will attempt to find answers to the many questions plaguing us all. More so, we want to find out where to turn for professional help in a fulfilling and meaningful way. Let’s get over the stigma, no matter how difficult it becomes, to find a way to stay on the life side of the line. There is after all, so much to live for.
In the meantime if you are experiencing anxiety or depression, suicidal thoughts, distorted thinking or any other mental distress call 9-1-1 in an emergency or the Fraser Health Crisis Line 24/7 at 604.951.8855 or toll-free 1.877.820.7444 ― there is someone there to help. Please reach out!
Ian Power
@ianonair
ian@pulsefm.ca