Fear, #MentalHealth and C-Virus

April 17, 2020 ~ pamelarichardswoodall ~ Leave a comment

My goodness! What a crazy world we seem to be living in today, huh?!

I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such a level of mass fear and panic! We must continue to keep our focus on Jesus! When we read His word, there is a reference to ‘fear not’ many times. Let’s apply those daily!

So how ya doing with all this going on? Are you managing ok? Do you have enough supplies? Is anyone checking on you? Are ya goin’ stir-crazy? Could you use a good ole, long hug? I know…me too! I miss huggin!!

Most days I am handling it all pretty well. I do greatly miss being around people and huggin! I miss huggin! It almost feels like some form of punishment for something we didn’t do. Or even an out of control feeling over something we have no way at all of fixin! Whew….

I find myself wondering and actually am very concerned with how others are doing during this C-virus scare with their mental health! Your mental health has to do with your cognitive and emotional well being. It involves how you think, feel and behave. As a result of previous traumatic events, those processes could be skewed or messed up making it very difficult to talk about how we’re feeling.

Sadly in our society, it seems to still be a taboo subject to openly talk about mental illness. Yet, I wonder how many are suffering in silence? How many out there are walking around, well, now they have to stay home, who may be one traumatic event away from exploding? Or are a whisper away from an emotional breakdown? Or believe no one cares?

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There should not be the stigma of discussing these issues!!

Many of us deal with mental health issues. Some of them could include anxiety, (there are at least 6 types of anxiety) depression, panic disorders, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse and more. The list is long. There is a horrible shroud over our society to openly discuss these and other issues. Why?

I dare say that if we were dealing with some form of cancer or had a broken bone or even an autoimmune disease we’d gain support and encouragement. Even so, we must press forward and continue to grow and thrive to the best of our abilities helping each other along the way.

With schools closed, I wonder how our children are growing mentally? Now that they are forced to be at home, in many circumstances, with their abuser 24 X 7, I can imagine the fear they may be living with daily! I remember when I was a child, the school was my safe haven! I hated when school was out and I had to stay home no matter the reason. I knew at school there would be no poking or prodding my innocent places like there often was at home. I knew I had a hot meal at lunch every day I was at school. Many times I went hungry at home. Even though I understand the reason behind closing schools, I still hurt for those kids who are experiencing more abuse because of this virus outbreak. So I understand when I read reports of an expected increase of child abuse as well as domestic violence!

I dare say we will begin to see a spike in mental health issues as well. We must continue to educate ourselves and pray for our neighbors, one for another. Dare to be the support someone needs but is so afraid to ask for help. We can come against this fearful time we are now experiencing!

I understand the fear that is covering our great land; not just on the abuse and addiction issue but the lack-issue. Now people are laid off from jobs so they aren’t able to provide for their families. Yes, there is the stimulus check most folks will receive and the unemployment insurance; yet, there are still families where those will not help with all the lay-offs, some even permanently.

May this be the time when we are truly the hands and feet of Jesus showing love and compassion along the way.

We are here if you need to reach out!

Feel free to contact us: Broken Pieces No More Inc PO Box 1373 Somerset, KY 42502

Or at brokenpiecesnomore@gmail.com

www.brokenpiecesnomore.org

You can also follow us on facebook: Broken Pieces No More Inc

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Mental Health and Truth

February 8, 2020February 8, 2020 ~ pamelarichardswoodall ~ Leave a comment

We have stepped into the second month of a brand new year and a brand new decade. How exciting is that! The sound of that just seems to hold many new and adventurous possibilities doesn’t it?

Yet, how many of us are making healthy choices on purpose?

How many of us are determined to face the truth of our issues?

Many times I’ve pretended I was just fine, thank ya very much! When in fact I was dying inside and was silently screaming for someone, somewhere to please find me before I go under the tide for the very last time! But “No”! I couldn’t dare tell you my truth….even though I’ve read that the ‘truth shall set you free’. (John 8:32)

Fear and shame were my constant companions!

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Fear kept me from reaching out for help; for letting others know, even close friends and family that I was in desperate need of help. Fear kept my mouth shut! I’d often been told as a child when being raped, “If you tell anyone I’ll hurt your mommy like this! Do you want me to do that?” Well, of course not!!

And the shame! Oh my goodness! The black, sticky shame kept me feeling so very unworthy; so extremely dirty; so unwanted and all alone! What if I told you my dark, dirty secrets? Would you still wanta be around me? Would you still wanta be my friend? Would you help me?

And that’s just how the evil one wanted it! I’m one of those individuals that believe we either follow good or evil. There’s no in-between! So, now in looking back, I can easily see where the devil was working through those around me to keep me down, to keep the evil thoughts flowing through my mind, to entice me to make unhealthy choices! For many of my years, I did not realize nor own my truth that I had a choice: That I could say, “NO!” I did not know I could!

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The first time I remember having a thought that I could say ‘no’ was during an attempted unsuccessful sexual encounter in my late teen years. I declined a guy’s advances which he did not like at all. That was the beginning of my awakening from the deep slumber that had been injected into my being many years ago of believing I had to go along with what was done to me as well what was expected of me. It took years of counseling, lots of determination to overcome the lies and false beliefs of my past, many prayers and a lot of starts and stops! I had to choose to become healthy! Because I was worth it!

Now, I believe we can all begin in this New Year, this new decade, to make a difference for those around us, for those younger than us rising up to become leaders in the tomorrows by exposing once and for all those lies connected with mental health issues, that there should not be a taboo on this subject. Of course we need balance as we decide with whom to share our stuff. But we need not feel ashamed in doing so either! Nor do we need to shame others!

I firmly believe that it is now time to pull the scab off of our mental health issues and get to the root of the problem! Various forms of abuse are often the root of addictions and other unhealthy practices but we do not have to remain stuck in that lifestyle! There is hope and help! There is freedom and healing!

How I so wish someone would have been brave enough to step into my mess with me. Healing is messy and maybe not everyone is cut out to get down in the ditch of mess and help an individual. But, maybe we need to do so! We at Broken Pieces No More, Inc firmly believe that once we begin to examine and deal with root issues we’ll begin to see a more healed society. We believe no one deserves to be abused and that’s why we exist; to help raise awareness of various forms of abuse and addictions as well as providing healthy healing options.

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I now have more peace and hope than ever! I believe you can too!

You can reach us at brokenpiecesnomore@gmail.com or Broken Pieces No More Inc on facebook. Or drop us a note at PO Box 1373 Somerset, Ky 42502

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Rawness of Emotions & Healing

June 5, 2019 ~ pamelarichardswoodall ~ Leave a comment

She knew she was playing with fire but she so desperately wanted to step over the edge, over to the other side. Surely there it’d be quieter. Surely there it’d be less colorful, less noisy. Surely there it’d be less demanding. Surely, right?!

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Emotions, dark and churning, swirled deep within her being. She longed to bring them out in the open to examine them but figured most folks would chastise her for doing so, for even wanting to do so. She brushed her long wavy sun-kissed hair behind her ear so she could have a clear view of what was before her.

It seemed to her that there were huge boulders placed before her path to be used as stepping stones but oh, could she really step from one to the next without falling. Falling down in the deep, dark abyss. She did not think so. Frozen! She felt frozen in place with the fear of making a decision to take the next step.

But nobody seemed to listen or for that even cared! They pushed her forward, harder. Make a decision they screamed loud and long in her ear! Hurry up! Do this! No, do that!

No one seemed to hear her when she told them she couldn’t take anymore! When she told them how very tired she was of trying so hard to hold all their words inside her being, of trying so hard to do all she could to keep everybody happy. She was so very tired!

The rawness she felt had silently made its way to the top of her soul where it was now running over like the hot tears that rolled down her cheeks and dripped off her chin. But there was no one to wipe them away. No one to catch her tears. No one.

Rawness is so scary for most everyone. They can talk about it as long as it pertains to someone else, someone else so they don’t have to look at it. Or when that someone is in a story far away or on television. When rawness is presented to another they often turn away for they cannot fully look in the face of rawness and not cringe.

Everyone will at some point feel the rawness. Many cannot face their own rawness but face it we must if we are going to grow and become the man or woman God has destined us to be. You see, facing the rawness, to me, means gettin’ real, gettin’ nakked! It simply means getting real enough with yourself to uncover what has caused any wounds whether they be super minor or larger than the Milky Way! Each person’s issues are theirs and should not be compared to another’s. And each person needs to be able to heal at his or her ability, the method for your healing might not work for another. We are all made uniquely and we’re made in His image. God never wanted any of us to hurt. Sadly that does happen.

The good news is that you can overcome any rawness, any pain, you may be facing in your life. It takes hard work to feel the feelings but without feeling it then healing the pain may not happen. I firmly believe we all could use a mental health checkup just like we get a physical. Our mental health is so intricately connected with our physical health.

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I encourage you to be brave and face any rawness in your own life. One step at a time just like eating the apple one bite at a time. You can do it. Besides, you are worth the effort! Healing hurts but oh my goodness, the thought of staying stuck in that rut is motivation to make the decision to grab hold of God and gain that sweet healing! Find friends who will help you walk this path. Doing so alone is super hard!

Remember in Matthew 19:26 (NKJV) But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

How do you deal with the rawness on your healing path?

We’d love to hear from you.

Feel free to email us at brokenpiecesnomore@gmail.com or drop a letter to PO Box 1373 Somerset, Ky 42502

Remember, healing happens!

#secretsnomore

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