Am I Too Happy?

I am writing this because I have found the Psyche community on Vocal and though I have written many pieces dealing with Mental Health they have ended up in Journal or Humans. I usually feel I have no right to post in communities because I have not been (and don’t expect to be) diagnosed with any mental health conditions.

I included "Happy" by The Carpenters because it was a favourite of my mums and a favourite of mine too.

Am I Too Happy?

It’s a question I sometimes ask myself. I have friends who have problems and am there to hold their hand, chat with them and hopefully help them . Sometimes they come back to me and we seem to help them get into a position where they can deal with whatever problems that they have.

I was brought up to be a responsible one and to deal with whatever comes at me, and often when I needed help it just was not forthcoming.

I sort of pride myself that whenever things are dark for me I can find some spark of positivity that can pull me back into the light , and it always works, but that is not an option for everyone.Some people cannot find that light.

In the last twenty years I have received several pieces of bad news about my physical well being. Each time I have sat with the consultant and identified that I can deal with the situation. Friends have expressed dismay but I assure them things will be alright because I trust my medical support.

The reality is that when I have been told these things and the consultants say they are really sorry I tell them “don’t be sorry, if you hadn’t found this out and told me, we couldn’t do anything about it.” I then point out that I have seen people missing links, blind , suffering from serious mental issues , while I can get up, walk out and speak with friends.

I do have a lot of close supportive friends who I can talk to , and my workplace has weekly meetings to discuss any issues that I and others might have and that is a huge beneficial tool to keep my mental health in a good place.

I walk which helps me think , have time alone when I need it , time with others too. There have been times when I am really down , thinking no one wants to speak with me or have anything to do with me but that is just what I call my bad demons.

I always look for a positive in whatever happens. A simple example is missing the bus. Usually the next stop or two may be a ten minute walk , so I take that walk , burn off a little fat and benefit physically for what some would see as a problem.

In work sometimes things just don’t work when they should do and there are deadlines to be met. I am usually lucky enough to work out an alternative arrangement , and document that for future reference , although many people wait until the problem is resolved. I take it as an opportunity to learn.

So Am I Too Happy? I would say you can never be too happy. It puts you in a position where you can be there for others. I know for me it means I can’t ask others for help at times , but I get lots from just chatting to other people. I also know that I am greatly loved and that really lifts my spirits, the people who love me are always with me in spirit and if I feel down I think of them.

Another small token that helps me is Matt Haig’s “Reasons To Stay Alive” , an amazing reference book for anyone tackling their own mental health problems. I would recommend you get a copy whether you suffer from any kind of mental health related issues or not. I reference it heavily in this piece here.

Andy's Man Club is here if you need to talk

The Samaritans are here