April Sadness Brings May Madness

Greetings, readers, and happy Mental Health Awareness Month to one and all! I only recently learned of May’s designation as such and my goodness, I feel so out of touch and late to the party. I should have known. Fortunately, it’s not too late to celebrate. And May has brought with it so very many reminders to help us be more aware of mental health issues than ever. Let’s reflect.

First, of course, there’s the continuing pandemic that has not only devastated us financially and socially, and in terms of our chances of not dying, but also psychologically. I don’t know about you, but your Curmudgeon has been acutely aware of my mental health lately. It isn’t good; that’s what I’ve noticed. Depression, malaise, anxiety, and the growing belief that yes, my cat and I are actually conversing have all become part of my daily life as I mentally circle the drain.

Meanwhile, somewhere, allegedly sane citizens are protesting in defense of their right to infection. I think they’re nutters, but maybe it is me who’s gone 'round the bend. After all, I can’t say for sure what day it is or whether I dreamed this whole thing up. I’ve also lost track of which of the many cute animal videos I’ve already watched, which has led to an acute case of déjà vu.

Then, of course, there’s the ever-accumulating bounty of evil shenanigans perpetrated by the fine folks who are supposed to be looking after our well-being. This crazy-making tsunami can lead to feelings of abandonment, panic, and rage, accompanied by an obsessive compulsion that manifests in sleepless nights of immigration research, which may not necessarily be a mental health issue but also isn’t necessarily not.

It’s also snowing in May. I may need around-the-clock therapy.

Mental Health Awareness Month is also a great time to take stock of the mental health of others. Here again, May has given us so many opportunities. The list of people who should have been locked away in padded cells long ago is ponderously long. And with all this time on our hands, ponder we may. Many of these loons have their own television shows or YouTube channels. Others, remarkably, manage to get themselves caught on camera mid-meltdown for all the world to see.

Yours truly, of course, is still suffering under the psychotic delusion that I can get people to behave sensibly and thoughtfully by writing a weekly blog that’s faithfully read by twelve people. And while that batty belief may be a harmless one, it is nonetheless loco in the coconut, especially if it’s true what the old adage says, that repeating the same action again and again expecting different results is the definition of insanity.

Yes, this year, people everywhere are honoring Mental Health Awareness Month in a big way, with no shortage of reminders of the importance (and absence) of mental health in our lives. Now, if I remember correctly, June’s theme honors the importance of social interaction . . . that’ll be fun.