What does it look like?

I have been speaking with warriors of HOPE, champions of mental health across the globe for past few weeks. With program leads for UNICEF, United Nations, World Health Orgnisation in war torn regions; with leads of mental health programs at home NAMI Texas and with people like you and me who cope with it. It has been humbling to reflect upon the colors it gets painted in, the lens through which we see mental health globally and how the common thread weaves through it all — need for acceptance, for education, for de-stigmatization and for compassion

The face of mental illness, how does it look like?

a high functioning alcoholic

an anxious teen

a successful narcissist

a vulnerable artist

a grieving parent

a closeted sexuality

a high flying corporate executive

an exuberant friend

deceptive, wide eyed, hiding behind expressions, it is adept at escaping.

The face of mental illness, how does it look like?

Vulnerable

Strong

Beautiful

Broken

Resilient

Scared

It is adept at hiding behind normalcy.

The face of mental illness, how does it look like?

Vacant eyes

Broken bodies

Emptied hearts

Crying souls

It hides under survival.

The face of mental illness, how does it look like?

Like you

Like me

Like one next to us , here and there

It is all of us.

Then why do we look to paint it different than us.

Them, Those people, each one of them.

The face of mental illness – its me, its you. It’s all of us.

#internationalSchoolOfStroy

#everyStoryMatters

#LessStigmaMoreAwareness

#HashtagsAreNotEnough

#warriorsOfHOPE

#VoicesOfHOPE

#Voice4Impact

Mental Health Innovation Network United Nations Development Programme – UNDP UNICEF USA World Health Organization (WHO) WEF – 5WCW Mission Million 2022: Women in Solidarity Worldwide