"Oh the mind, mind has mountains, cliff of fall
Frightful, sheer no-man-fathomed. Hold them cheap may who ne'er hung there."
___Gerard Manley Hopkins, "No Worst, There is None"
As social pressures to be all things to all people increase, so does the prevalence of mental illness. It has been customary to think of such illness as an unfortunate heredity problem suffered by others, but it becomes clearer every day that it common to all of us.
Signs of mental disquiet are not usually apparent to others and do not impinge upon others' lives until the person's behavior is affected. Behavioral changes do not have to be labeled as madness to draw our attention, however. We may realize that our partner's failure to make good decisions results from his inability to shift his received expectations, for example, or that our friend's addictive behavior is based upon terrible insecurity. We may even notice signs of creeping paranoia in our own lives, a fear so great that we avoid any occasion to notice it, a truth so frightful that we spend our lives projecting it upon everyone but ourselves.
The ability of soul-friends to recognize the early stages of such states of mind is often acuite. With our own friends, we can keep a watchful eye out for signs of disquiet, offering reality checks, asking questions and giving opportunities for help to be requested. It is not generally our place to treat the early signs of mental disquiet, but it is always our task to encourage, support and befriend in times of turmoil.
"What are your own current 'cliffs of fall'? How did you get there? What help is available (or could you seek ) to help you down?"
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]
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