The truth will set you free
There is courage, admiration and bravery in a man who is transparent, upfront, truthful and honest about his struggles with mental health either to himself or others. Jesus said in the Book of John 8:32 that knowing the truth can set us free. The truth in this biblical context is referring to the truth about salvation. This scripture came to mind as I watch snippets of the new Mental Health documentary which Prince Harry produced with Oprah Winfrey. You may not be a great fan of them. However, this scripture from John 8:31 resonated with me from their documentary. Harry shared how he avoided dealing with the pain of his mother’s timely death by drinking heavily and taking drugs. He was aware that he was mentally blocking feelings of suffering as a survival mechanism.This awareness and this truth led him to grief therapy to help him to cope.
What hurts are you secretly nursing? What pain are you hiding? What feelings are you blocking?
Did you know it is admirable and noble to truthful and honest to yourself about pain and struggle? Don’t hide your pain and hurts under bushel for it to fester. Spending time knowing, increasing your awareness and acknowledging to yourself the underlying reasons why you are hurting, why you are numbing and why you are masking is the first step to progress, to change and to setting yourself free from the shackles which has held you down for so long.
Finally, know that when life is difficult, Samaritans are here — day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
