Halloween is such a fun time for people. There's candy,
there's costumes, there's haunted houses. However, sometimes in life, Halloween
is every day, as life is the haunted house. We have to find a way to maneuver
through it.
The perception of one who has any kind of behavior disorder
is a very dark sky above our heads. We look at things differently. We feel
things differently. And the worst part about it is we can't really talk about
it, because if we do, we make people feel uncomfortable.
The only treats we get in our daily life are those of peace
and quiet. Maybe if someone says a kind word to us and lets us know that they
see us, we can have a smile and know that we're doing the best we can. The
haunted house is our life, as we go from room to room wondering what's around
the corner. And we have to decide how we're going to deal with it, because if
we deal with it the wrong way, then society will show us. Families will disown
us. Life becomes harder to tolerate.
Halloween is so terrible that the media and Hollywood make a
mockery out of mental illness. From an escapee from a mental health facility to
people who hear voices that turn into serial killers, they continue to
perpetuate the stereotype that we are dangerous people and can't be trusted.
Yes, we have bad days, but many of us don't mean harm. We're
just trying to figure out how to survive one day at a time. Looking for a way
to coexist. To belong. To be accepted. To be told we matter. To be loved.
Not some punchline for Halloween to sell movie tickets and
costumes.
My wish for Halloween is everyone had a happy one. That
means EVERYBODY. Without worrying about what people think. Without
over-analyzing. Knowing we have the freedom to choose to stay home and not be
shamed because we chose to stay home, because we couldn't be around people.
Let's all have a safe one.
NMF
M
