Telling the difference

Can you tell the difference between these two mobile phones?   On the outside, they look very similar, but the reality is that one has a SIM card in it and the other does not.  Can you tell which one?

The same can be said for people suffering from depression or anxiety.  On the outside, they can seem exactly the same as the next person.  But inside, they definitely are not.  Did you know that one in four people in the UK suffers from poor mental health?  Society uses clever words like “wellbeing” to label it.  My view is that the brain can get sick just as much as any other part of the body.  We just cannot see it so visibly.

Based on those government statistics, if you are in a room of ten people, at least two people have mental health issues.  If it is a room of twenty people, it grows to five people.  But in most instances, it is hidden.  People are suffering in silence.

So, what can we do about it?  I think there are a number of things.  We can become better informed.  Have a look at these statistics:

https://www.priorygroup.com/mental-health/mental-health-statistics

We can check in on our family and friends and make sure they are doing okay.  In our Tuesday group that meets at John and Mims, we start with a check-in.  Everyone gets the opportunity to share what is going on in their life, and then we pray for each other.  This is so important and gives people the opportunity to share where they are at.  This can vary from week to week.

If you don’t see members of your family very often, I would encourage you to pick up the phone occasionally and check that they are okay.  During lockdown, my dad was living on his own as my mum had just died.  I was worried he might fall and be left on the floor, so I rang him every day for one hundred days until things started to get back to normal.  I am not suggesting you do that, but stay in touch.  Send a WhatsApp message saying you are thinking of them and asking them if they are okay.

Alongside mental health, loneliness is another issue that many suffer from.  They will never tell you, but many suffer in silence.

Just over a year ago (Dec 24), it was reported that 3 million people in the UK felt lonely often or always.  That is shocking, don’t you think?

As Christians, we should be there for people.  I am sure we all know elderly people who don’t get out much.  Why not invite them over for Sunday lunch?  This is traditionally a family meal.  We can take for granted that we can chat and laugh together whilst others are sitting on their own with only themselves for company.

I know you know this stuff.  Think back to those mobile phones.  Which one has no SIM?  The answer is right in front of you; you just can’t see it.  I hope this blog will raise awareness of people suffering from depression, anxiety, and loneliness.  We have so much to be thankful for, and hopefully, we can reach out to help others less fortunate than ourselves.