Do you feel you’re too busy falling and you can’t see the way out?

We fall so fast, we panic as we try to grasp hold of anything that passes. We want to stop but things happen too quick for us to respond and make decisions. It’s like there’s a whirlwind of bad things that just drag us down. Sometimes the hole is deep, we feel like we’re falling forever and it’ll never end.

Sooner or later the inevitable happens……. You hit rock bottom…..

You cry, you hit out but you’re exhausted and feeling alone in a dark place….

Time passes And then you start to awaken and slowly move your body. You become aware of the pain and realise your body is broken, you know you need time to heal. You sit for a while and you have time to reflect.

And then you look up….. There is light You can see a way out.

You sit and contemplate. It’s going to be hard and take some time but you’ve got to do it, it’s the only way you’re getting out of there. And so you gather your thoughts and rest a while until you feel stronger.

You start to climb It’s hard You’re tired You don’t feel strong enough. You slip You don’t feel like you can make it You fall but get back up and start to climb again.

You’re tired and frustrated You fall again Everything hurts You feel spent in every which way. Physically you feel you have nothing left Mentally you feel you can’t go on You feel emotionally void you don’t even know what the point is anymore But you start to climb one more time You continue taking one grasp at a time concentrating on the now, as you dig your fingers into the mud and haul yourself up inch by inch

As you take your time things seem to be getting brighter you look up, The light at the top seems closer. You become aware of your senses. You feel the warmth of the sun as you look up to the light You smell the grass in the meadow above You taste the earthiness of the damp air in the dark hole.

And then you hear something, a sound from above….. Your voice comes to life as you shout for help. And then you see it… a friendly face. But then it turns and goes. You lose all hope and consider letting go, you shout again.

Then suddenly a ladder appears with the friendly face and a helping hand. You climb and reach out for the hand. You’re pulled from the hole and clamber out on your hands and knees. You stand and take a deep breath of the sweet smelling fresh air. A sense of relief As you look around you see there are holes everywhere, some so small you might just trip over them. Some are big but shallow and others are slightly hidden but they are deep… you wonder how you never saw them before.

Through your wondering. You understand why you fell down. You’re Mind was too busy, you never realised where you were or what you were going You look around and the friendly face is gone you question why they left so quickly but in the distance you see a place you’ve always wanted to go to.

You stand and take in the beauty of life, you feel free, you are suddenly grateful for the little things. You marvel at the world and where you can go. You remember who you are and why you’re here. You look back at where you came from and then with a strength and power you never knew you had you take strides towards your future. And so You start on your new journey feeling strong and confident. Watching out for the holes in the ground, making sure you don’t trip up. With every step your heart exudes love and gratitude for the opportunity you have been given.

But then….. you hear something from one of the holes, it sounds like a cry for help. You rush over to the sound and look over the edge into a deep dark hole. You see a pair of eyes glistening with despair as the light hits them.

You smile and turn.

Now, where is that ladder?

If you are needing a helping hand or a friendly face, please reach out. Below are some useful contacts;

https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day/

https://www.rethink.org/