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Mental health has been TOP of mind for many of us, and as a staff 988 counselor, I’ve seen a lot. From custody concerns, to depression, to anxiety, to bipolar episodes, to suicidal people. I do what I love, and love what I do. I also run a small tech company, Honor Games®, and am a published author and researcher.
It’s been quite a journey, and I wouldn’t be where I was today, if it wasn’t for my Bipolar 1 diagnosis and vision impairment. We all go through life with adversity, we are always presented with challenges, not just small ones, but life-changing ones that point out our flaws, limitations, and deepest desires.
I like to say, God likes to put our desires just slightly out of our reach. This forces us to grow and adapt constantly. Asking us, just how far we will go to get what we want. I’m not going to tell you it’s easy, but if you do it right, you will be rewarded.
Mental health support is personal to me, as I suspect it’s personal to most of you. I was diagnosed in May of 2013, after my 1st manic episode. I also fell in love with my best friend, around that time, who was suicidal. We no longer talk due to mysterious reasons, yet the hole he left in my life Is what motivates me to keep going, to help people just like him on the 988 hotlines. I extend the same care I would if he were calling. And I strive to give every call my all.
I spent years pining over this man, and never thought I could move on, questioning why this had to happen in my life, all the pain, all the stress, why, why, why. But now, years later, I know why, I see why. God has a way of doing these things; in fact, that is the very nature of God. He does these things to make us who we are. To get us where we need to be in our lives, not just for us, but for our community, our networks, our society.
This is what love and life is all about, this is what mental health is all about. Turning pain into purpose.
We care, not just because we were made to, but because this is what connects us all. Look for your “nexus”, where all your passions and interests intersect. A stable point, where anything you do can branch off of. Allowing you to go back and forth, with all your disparate desires.
We were wired to share, to connect, to support. Everyone is responsible for building their own life. And everyone is responsible for finding their place in this world, and if you don’t, someone else will place you where they think you should be.
But you’re not just here to hear my story, but you’re here for the PPF model. So, here we go. The PPF model is both simple yet deep and can spark the conversation on mental illness in a simple, easily understandable way.
The PPF Model
Imagine you have 2 anchors, but there are 3 places they can go. The 1st is the past, all your memories, your experiences, your education. The 2nd is your present moment; all the sights sounds and sensations, all of that. And the 3rd is the future, your hopes your dreams. Which 2 do you feel the most comfortable in handling, or which one do you neglect or are afraid of. The goal of the model is to combine your anchors into a pendulum, so they can swing freely between all 3 time zones.
This interacts with mental health in straight forward ways.
Depression is where the past anchor is stuck, it’s been said, depression is the inability to imagine a desirable future.
Anxiety is the paralysis of what the future may bring
Perhaps the easiest example of this model, is PTSD, where a past event comes into the present moment uninvited.
Schizophrenia could be understood as the present anchor being destabilized, as they are not in tune with their actual senses.
These are the fundamentals of the model. And further research is warranted.
However, those that can persist in life, are able to learn from the past, listen to the present, and leave a legacy for the future, are able to see what all they have done, and understand it was good, not just now, but always so.
The concept of God is the master architect and creator. Those who believe can see the patterns and paths throughout their lives that culminate in destiny. It’s as if there is a guiding hand in everyone’s life, a hand of order in the chaos, putting them exactly where they needed to be, not just for them, but for everyone they interact with.
They are able to find and forge the pearls of wisdom, passing it on from generation to generation. And as we see now, it is our duty and responsibility to hold up the lamp in the darkness, for all those who need our unique spectrum of light.
Are you finding a light or forging a light?
Know that one day, you may become that light. And through cradle to grave, through every act of kindness or crime, you birth our futures through the example you set.
