Compassion, Compassion, Compassion

I used to be one of those people. One of those people who didn't understand mental health. One of those people who looked at mental conditions as just a matter of "tak kuat semangat, tak cukup iman." Then one day it hit me like a truck; I woke up hearing things and seeing things that weren't there, doing things that I couldn't remember later, and feelings things that were foreign to me. Like in the movies- only this was my reality. Years and years ago.

Waktu itu barulah tahu langit tinggi-rendah. Baru tahu kuasa Allah Ta'ala tahap apa. Baru tahu keupayaan otak manusia sampai mana.

It was so mindfucked that it made me realize- orang yang tak rasa memang takkan dapat hadam. Alangkan kita pun boleh tak faham diri sendiri, apalagi orang lain. Jadi, takpa. It's okay. It's okay if people don't understand your mental condition. Janji awak peka dengan keadaan awak dan awak uruskannya dengan tanggungjawab. You've gotta admit that understanding it is not easy. So be the bigger person. Biar awak faham orang yang tak faham awak. "The broken ones are the more evolved." Yes? Mereka yang tak pernah susah, tak pernah hancur, memang biasanya kurang pandai sikit. "Tak tercapai dek akal"nya. Bukan memperkecil, tapi ini logik. We grow through experience.

What's NOT okay is being unkind. Accuse people with mental conditions as selfish, liars, quitters etc. Tak faham takpa; tak perlu jadi kejam. Kalau tak mampu tadah bahu-telinga, beri dia nombor Befrienders atau suruh dia ke MENTARI / MIASA. Kalau tak boleh cakap benda yang tak memedihkan hati, diam. If you don't know how not to sound righteous or preachy, just give that person a good hug. Peluk dan dengar. When that person is in a dark episode, awak bagilah ceramah motivasi atau ceramah agama pun, otak dia takda kapasiti untuk proses. Scan result otak dia dengan otak biasa pun dah memang lain. No need to be mean just because it doesn't happen to you. In group therapies, ustazah berniqab ada, religious churchgoer ada, malah doktor pun ada. Janganlah tunggu kena batang hidung kita sendiri baru boleh nak bersangka baik.

Compassion, always.