Situation: Phyllis is a lovely young woman who is 30-plus years old but looks 18. She is suffering greatly because of her attitude. She can't get over her abortion years ago. She was, as she put it, "drinking and partying night after night." She blames the guy who got her pregnant for getting her to have the abortion and now is 'clinically depressed,' although she won't admit it. She quit her job, moved back in with her mother, and, according to the mother, "won't hardly get out of bed."
Phyllis' mother, Willa, is also suffering, blaming herself with "Where did I go wrong? What could I have done differently?" Both of these women are highly educated.
Lessons learned: Yes, we know that it takes two to make a baby. Phyllis would do well to accept some of the 'blame' both for the pregnancy and for the abortion. We can never go back and re-do all the things we've done wrong. But if we LEARN from our mistakes, we are ahead! Willa also needs to 'let go' and know that we all make mistakes raising our children, none of us are perfect, but most of us try our very best!
Outcome: Willa is a church-going lady and prays that the Lord will help Phyllis. Willa thinks she's just about convinced Phyllis to seek counseling. Would you also pray for Phyllis? And pray also for all the people suffering from mental illness, that they get proper treatment and will be able to live happy, productive lives.
In nursing school, some students knew from the start what 'specialty' they wanted to go into after graduation and licensing. Medicine is so very specialized these days, we knew that we would specialize in our jobs. I personally decided to wait till I was almost finished with school. Our psychiatric rotation touched my heart: I could see that these patients were suffering twice, once for the illness, and once for the stigma, both from their families and from society in general. Please don't be a part of their suffering. Mental illness is what should be called, 'an invisible disability.'
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