Life and Random Thinking

I feel like I am looping back to a previous post of mine – The Lucky Ones have Crutches and Bandages – I hope you have read it, if not CLICK HERE.

In the Saturday Globe & Mail newspaper of November 9, 2019 there was an interesting read about veterans, and in particular a pilot.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I found my attention drawn to the short article about Mr. Guinan. Guinan served as a pilot and air traffic controller for 28 years. Long hours, and stress eventually took a toll resulting in health conditions that left him no alternative but to retire, and he was eventually released for depression. He had dealt with his health issues, including depression,  his whole life, masking it but eventually he could not avoid it’s effect on his life.

I can imagine the retirement decision was difficult, an invisible but very real and debilitating illness forced him to leave, and seek treatment. Especially tough recognizing he worked in the military and what I suppose is a military expectation that he show no emotion or weaknesses.

These are the words that caught, or grabbed my attention in his article.

By accessing treatment and being honest about his struggles -something that is sadly uncommon in military circles – Guinan is epitomizing what it means to be a leader. 

It’s about understanding that seeking  help is not weakness – but rather any person’s greatest sign of bravery. 

This is the line I read three times.  Seeking Help is not weakness – but rather any person’s greatest sign of bravery. 

Please encourage yourselves and people you care about not to hesitate about getting health help.

Whether depression, headaches, pains – it doesn’t matter – get your butts in there and check it out, and do it early pretty please.

• I know people die because they don’t go to the hospital with chest pains.
• I know people die because they wait too long to get a lump or pain investigated only to learn cancer has spread beyond treatment.
• I know people do suffer with depression or other mental health problems but hide it sometimes to tragic unnecessary results.
• Be an advocate for yourself, and do it early.
• Demonstrate your bravery and positive choices to help them do the same.

Thank you for reading. This may not be a blog post that is applicable to you. But it could be for someone you know.

In fact, I am uncertain if I should have written it, but here it is.

I hate to think that there are people out there, feeling they have to hide needing to seek help.

It’s bravery, not a weakness to seek help when you need it and it’s not bad to put yourself first, there are times for that and it’s the opposite of being selfish.

There is nothing to be ashamed of seeking help, in fact do it right away.

Be an example to others, by bravely getting help when you need it immediately, and then encourage others to do the same.