There are so many changes that have taken place or are taking place globally. We feel challenged and, in some cases, uncertain as to where we are going or how we are getting there. One thing that I find unnerving is our health and the health of our love ones. The obvious issue is our mental health and the lack of a support structure. You may be one of the fortunate ones who has a professional health resource that you can call to help you with the many challenges that you may be facing. Not everyone is that lucky. You may also have long waiting periods between appointments. All of this is part of t he mental health pandemic.

What I have found most recently is a fear to step out of the closet and ask for help. Search for that person who can walk beside you and share what each is feeling. The conversation they have with you is non-judgemental and is an integral part of their support structure. One that is kept in the strictest nature.

Having that person to walk beside you, share their lived and relevant experience will provide that bridge between appointments with professional resources to get us through to the next appointment.

What I wish was that at various stages of my life I would have had that mentor that I could count on. Instead, I had to figure out coping skills that would take that place and get me through to my next appointment. Sometimes it was an eternity till that next appointment which was a challenge by itself.

What this meant was that the coping skills were just as bad as dealing with my mental health.

Another thing that I am dealing with is two looses in my life that of my mother and my wife. They were a part of my support structure or at least my wife was and I now see how grief can be a part of your mental health challenges. Trying to seek counseling in a timely manner is over whelming as the demand for this professional help far exceeds the supply.

This is where I have found that a mentor can play an integral part of your support structure. I am working with a number of people that are either dealing with grief or some form of mental health and we are able create that bridge that gets us to the next appointment. Remember, all that it takes is to reach out and ask for help. Come out of the closet and ask for help and someone will be there.