“Mental health needs a great deal of attention. It’s the final taboo and it needs to be faced and dealt with.” – Adam Ant

Every day has a job for me to do, it requires my attention every moment, it is there just behind the shadows.  The maintenance of my mental health.  It sure would be easy to neglect it, start sliding backwards, and once again finding myself staring at the abyss,

When I was much younger I was driven by perfection.  I had a habit after I would have my coffee in the morning I would vacuum the carpet in the living room.  I tried to keep everything in it’s place.  Took extra time making sure that my hair was perfect, it was an exercise of using the blow dryer, brush, then extra strong hair spray. 

I find that I am not driven by that part of me that wants perfection.  I like my home clean,  but with a dog that has lots of hair it is an endless battle.  Also, I do not fret if things seem somewhat untidy. Those things are the least of my worries.

My morning routine though is basically the same. I put the coffee maker on, fill the glass on my side table with water, then proceed to take my morning medications in a certain order.  My daily routine is flexible, but one thing that is etched in stone is my medications.

Before turning out the lights I try to find programs with some harmless humor, shows like “Hogan’s Heroes”, “The Carol Burnett Show”, and if I can stay awake an episode of “Perry Mason”.  The reason for the humor I feel it acts like a detox of all the depressing things during the day.

I had read about a man, Cousins, who laughed himself back to healthy.  He locked himself in a hotel room, had all Marx Brothers Films, and other comedies, watched them and laughed himself whole.

Mental Health maintenance truly is a full time job, there is no resting on one’s laurels. You have to be vigilant, always on your guard, avoid some of those who bring nothing but negative drama.  I choose who I allow to have my attention.  I have weeded out those in my family, friends, acquaintances, all who were detrimental to my mental health.

So dear reader, for your own good, your mental health, do the work!