Some Monsters Wear No Labels

In the past few years I have been learning about addiction. Not my own, and more mental illnesses that manifest very much like addiction, but still, lessons I didn't know I would learn. There's always a lot of chatter on the internet about addiction, in all kinds of media really, and the volume has been turned up to eleven the past couple of days.

It struck me this morning that I wish for all of you never to find yourself addicted. I wish you a life of strong mental health. However, all I really hear in this high decibel chatter is fear, the kind of fear that throws a stiff arm at the monster, sure that all those burpees in cross fit class will ensure your ability to keep addiction and mental illness away from yourself and everyone you love. Maybe you're right. I hope you are. What I've noticed, though, is that our downfall is almost never clearly labeled.

If, despite your best efforts, a monster gets you (and me, I'm not nearly as confident as you, I'm pretty sure a monster will get me) I hope that you are greeted with compassion while you're fighting. Not everyone is but I hope that you are.

Let this (for reasons in addition to the ones that are trending on social media) be my semi-annual plea that, even if you hate having your picture taken, you allow someone to take a likeness of  you without your sunglasses on or your hand hiding your face or a making a goofy face. Allow the rest of us our sense of place and time by engaging in the public record. Once every six months is the lowest I'll go in this negotiation. Deal?

Photo credit: RadioKath