Care week

 Through my journey with mental health, there have been many times that I needed care only to experience both the caring and uncaring side of systems. I had talked briefly about experiences with mental health while in school and how certain educators supported me. What I didn't mention (mostly for the sake of time) was that before I went to Spain, I was unable to finish out my junior year in school and was attending an outpatient program instead. I was able to focus on getting the help I needed because I was supported by my administrators. They checked in with me regularly, allowed me to come in after school to take exams and ensured that I wouldn't fall behind. 

However, only a few years prior I had a very different experience with my middle school administration. I had also touched upon this in my Educational Journey. I was afraid to go to school, my grades were slipping and I had no motivation to be there. All the administration had to say was that they would have people stand in the hallway to "supervise" but they weren't consistent in that plan and when they were, they didn't actually pay attention. 

I still receive care in small ways from friends and family when they make space for me to process things with them or when they allow me to just express my emotions without judgement. There are so many different systems that can either support you or fail you when it comes to care and it's about finding the right one for you. 

Comments

  1. KelliNovember 7, 2023 at 5:05 PM

    Meghan it is so good to hear you continue to care for you. It is very traumatic to deal with it never mind deal with it when you are just a young person still figuring it all out. I think you are brave for not giving up I applaud the administration that know what community looks like. I am also blessed to have friends and family that have your back, I know how helpful that is and I also utilize them for comfort.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Victoria RestlerNovember 14, 2023 at 6:29 AM

    Thanks for sharing these experiences, Meaghan. Part of my takeaway is that over and over, we will need care and that the way institutions respond can have such a big impact on how we navigate challenging circumstances and how we are able to move forward.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SusanGDecember 4, 2023 at 6:16 PM

    I applaud your resilience. With all the negative attention and lack of focus on mental health issues we have failed as a society to provide a stable supportive base for people with mental health issues. I believe that we all suffer from periods of mental health issues and often it depends on our support systems to get us through. For those who face it alone they suffer the added burden of being the only one to rely on. I see some changes brought on by the increased exposure of these issues during the Covid lockdowns. If we can keep the momentum going maybe someday everyone will feel they have access to support whenever they need it. I appreciate you sharing your story with us.

    ReplyDelete
  4. MiosotisDecember 6, 2023 at 7:32 PM

    Ditto here - agree with Susan "applaud your resilience" you are a trooper and certainly mental health issues are a huge concern in our youth life. I'm so glad you were able to find someone within the system who attended to your needs, and guided you through the proper path of being able to continue an educational pattern.

    ReplyDelete
  5. TracyDecember 6, 2023 at 10:22 PM

    Meg, thank you for sharing! I think the more we talk about mental health the more normalized it becomes. I'm glad that you have people there to support you without judgement.

    ReplyDelete

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