The Real Pandemic

Bullying.
Abuse.
Assault.
Medicated.
Illness.
Addiction.
Rejection.
Neglect.
Drugs.
Abandonment.
Stress.
Shame.
Isolation.
Insomnia
Sedentary.
Alcohol.
Disconnected.
Friendless.
Poverty.
Screens.
Diet.

What do these all have to do with each other? They are both the root causes and the symptoms of damaged mental health. I’ve come face to face with a lot of these. And there is one word that terrifies all of us in conjunction with all of these.

Suicide.

There is hope in the war while there is still life. But once life has left - there is no hope for victory. And we continue to lose more and more of our population to this pandemic. We’re losing more than just lives — we’re losing our children’s futures.

Each year, around 700,000 people die by suicide worldwide. Another 10 to 20 million attempt it. These are deaths that could have — and should have — been prevented.

When I hear a parent express concern about their child’s mental health - I know that it is serious. It is a very real and genuine concern. I think part of the problem is that poor mental health can come from so many different sources and can compound without notice.

The real problem - we have no idea how to combat this. No one gives us real tools for ourselves or our children. There are a lot of pedantic responses. Go for a walk. Call a friend. Listen to music. Go to the doctor. Maybe it is time to stop messing around. Maybe it is time to do a real dive into the crisis of mental health in our society- and especially our children.

In a world where we are living the future - our children shouldn’t be languishing in their souls. They should be carefree and full of life.

Let’s figure out how to get there together.

Let’s rewrite the future for our children and grandchildren.

Go Boldly - Live Wisely,
Charles