If you read my last post, Lessons Learned, or if you’re part of the Mental Health Community on Twitter, you know there has been a debate going on about positive thinking. I think (I hope!!) it’s over now, but it has resulted in a member of our community abandoning his blog to take care of his mental health. As a member of the community, I am ashamed. The community is meant to be an outlet, a place where we are safe to be ourselves and discuss our mental health experiences. It’s place where we can ask for advice, support each other, swap stories and make friends. It’s not supposed to be a place of stress and anxiety, a place where we are afraid to express our opinions and make people feel unwelcome.
Like I said in my last post, I am not taking sides as I adore members of both parties and I am sticking to the views I expressed in Lessons Learned. I am taking part in the #positiveprotest because no member of our community should feel like they have to leave. We are all entitled to our own opinions, although I know some are more enthusiastic than others, we should respect each other and agree to disagree when it comes down to it.
So what is the #positiveprotest?
Well, it’s not really a protest, more of a project, but that hashtag was taken. It’s carrying on the work that was abruptly abandoned, but, we’re getting back to the basics of positive thinking. It is not a solution, it is not an obligation and sometimes, it’s too hard to do, but it is there. Positivity is a tool that is available for you to use to help improve your outlook. It is meant to make you stop and smell the roses, to make you and those around you smile.
How does #positiveprotest work?
- it’s about sharing one positive a day on Twitter, using the #positiveprotest hashtag.
- It’s about getting back to the basics of positive thinking.
- Use the hashtag to compare positives with others, RT and share if you want to.
- There is no obligation to post a positive everyday. Drop in and out as often as you like, its supposed to be fun!
- Hayley from Calm Kitchen has made a blog badge/twitter cover that you can use if you want to. You can contact her here or on twitter @CalmKitchen
So that’s all folks. I hope you’ll join in, but there is no obligation. Let’s get our community back to the safe haven it used to be!
Somber Scribbler 
May 20, 2014 @ 12:57:56
Great post =) Thank you for spreading the word x
May 20, 2014 @ 14:15:47
Sounds like a wonderful idea!
May 20, 2014 @ 15:15:11
I heard about what happened and felt sad about it. I hope the person concerned will feel able to come back online as I enjoyed some of his posts and felt he had a lot to contribute to the community.
I think it is one of the risks of putting out opinions in the public domain. There will always be people with different opinions.
I caused a bit of upset myself over Christmas trying to be supportive to other people. I learnt a lot from the experience by trying to understand the other persons perspective.
Mental illness for me very exhausting, frays my nerves and increases my sensitivities. I always hated the “cheer up love..” line which I get sometimes and sometimes the whole positive thinking enterprise can give off that kind of vibe.
Not to say that it can’t be useful for some people but there’s a large spectrum even within people diagnosed with depression and what might be relatively easy for some people (for example myself) with mild to moderate symptoms, with a supportive network and a financial safety net could be near on impossible for someone with very severe depression and little support. Some if them could also be dealing with painful physical ailments and disabilities.
The important thing is that we try to stay aware of the different circumstances people may find themselves in.
That’s my tuppence worth. Hoping we can all get along š
May 20, 2014 @ 15:42:29
I completely agree with you. I think it’s important to understand that everyone is different and we all need different things at different times. That’s why we are carrying on the message of the person who had to leave, but taking it down a notch in hopes of putting everybody back together peacefully.