Imagine a plank.
It extends to the horizon. You walk along this plank for the entirety of your life. One foot in front of the other. Problem is, the plank is suspended hundreds of feet above the ground.
Now we all know not to look down. To concentrate on each step. The tendency is to panic. To look down. But with diligence, moment by moment, progress is made and life continues.
For a person with mental illness, this takes place during every waking moment (sometimes during sleep too).
After a while, fatigue sets in. You sneak a look. You take your eyes off your plank. Immediately you lose your balance and panic.
So you double your effort. Sometimes you feel that falling is inevitable so you lose motivation to keep walking and concentrating.
“You just have to try harder“.
“Harden up“.
“Just get on with it“.
Well-meaning people, often those we care about the most, give us this advice. As if we weren’t trying hard, really hard, every moment of every day.
So if after reading this, you connect with this situation, know that the author feels the same. He understands.
You’re not alone.
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