There is something spiritual about cutting your hair, about literally discarding a part of your past and the watching as the energy of the present replaces it. Yes, cutting my beard is a simple act, but it symbolic of a decision, to reaffirm myself and to choose to live…

“I don’t watch porn, that shit rots your brain.”

These words were casually said to me by a friend of mine. We were discussing different ways that we ‘Guard Our Mental State’. Basically talking about mental health and the things that we do to ensure that we stay in a stable place …

I don’t know why, but I feel the need to write something down. And then to share it. So I guess you my dear reader are invited to take a journey into the stream of consciousness that is this piece…

When the symptoms of a mental affliction begin to arise, it is important to take action to address the problem as soon as possible. This way the severity, duration and impact of the affliction will be minimised. Unfortunately given the nature of mental illness, it is often very difficult, if not impossible to even realise that action is needed, or to develop the motivation to do so….

Part of me still cringes at posts like this. It goes against so much cultural stigma and childhood conditioning, ‘Stop crying and harden the f*ck up already son’.

The thing is, I have known far too many people who have ended their own lives, self-harmed or turned to drugs.

I’ve suffered in this way myself.

Yet, despite knowing how healing it is to talk and let go of pent-up emotions, particularly rage, embarrassment, confusion and self-worth issues, it is hard for me to do so.

You can’t be as good a parent, sibling, friend, employee, boss, or anything else if you are emotionally drained, compromised, or suffering from a mental affliction.

The better you are, the better you can help others.

Your mind and body are completely interconnected.

It is difficult to remain in a sound mind when you are feeling lethargic, sick, bloated, tired, run-down, or in pain.

You literally are what you eat.

Somewhere along the line I lost contact with myself. Trauma froze me in time. This made me withdraw from people.

Connection now scares me.

Being thus frozen, my way of looking at the world, from a relationship perspective also froze. At the time of the freeze I was young. At that age, socialising is often facilitated by the adults for the child, it’s rarely done directly.