Thursday 4 August 2011

Trouble Of Mind

Have you ever noticed how a walnut resembles the skull? The best part contained in a hard shell, taking many knocks to prise open. There the similarities stop for the workings of the mind are more delicate. One thought arises, which leads to another, and so on, until a fine, but often tangled web has been spun. I love to dive into a pool of thoughts, mine or someone else's. This inner tuning not a shade of grey, but a complex matter. Cogs ceaselessly whirring away, the subject commands my attention. From the power of thought to psychological interventions, and memoirs of mental illness. I have however become concerned with this fascination. Is my interest in mental health actually healthy?

Mental health awareness is hot property in our current climate. Reactive and creative thoughts govern our lives every single day. Irrational and rational thoughts lobbed to the left or right side in cognitive tennis play. What turns the ordinary mental state into a classified illness? Are certain individuals predisposed to depression or madness? I view mental health like the flick of a switch. A bio-energetic current that trips the brain's circuit and causes an emotional impulse. It's my belief that this could affect anyone, that we all have the potential to act out of character. Diet, addictions, medication, hormones, and life events etc., conjoin to influence the person we project. Is in fact anyone sane? Perhaps we all have quirks and can be a little deranged if pushed.

If this is so, why are mental disturbances still considered a weakness? Understanding the mind takes great effort and courage, and can result in relapses. This shouldn't be perceived as a negative. The mind needs time out too. A respite from the daily grind or to digest info, gather strength and begin anew. The stigma attached to mental illness annoys me for nobody is exempt from a mental glitch. Some of us even benefit from scrambled brain technology. It can help us reassess who, what and where we are, and even unleash creativity. It's long been said there's a touch of mad in the genius. Moods integral to an artist's work despite the gloom or euphoria. These mind bugs are seen as bothersome, but is it possible we're deadening them too quick and failing to comprehend the full story?

I personally believe this is so. I'd rather be a little eccentric and ride out my highs and lows, than disallow painful or impulsive thoughts from happening. It's what makes me ME, although I understand the need to assess on a case-by-case basis. Our awareness and preconception of mental health however needs to be amended. A troubled mind is a beautiful mind also.