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Speakers open up on mental illness

Arrowhead Clubhouse
maxwell
Performer and mental health advocate Victoria Maxwell.

Five Things You Can Do To Boost Your Mental Health was the theme of an Arrowhead Clubhouse fundraiser held June 2 at Chatelech Secondary School. It featured Hugh Macaulay as MC, Shirley Kennedy reading passages from her book, Rose in the Desert, and Victoria Maxwell’s enthusiastic one-woman show, “Crazy For Life.”

“Living each day with mental illness is an act of courage,” Macaulay said in his opening remarks. “Phoning someone up and saying ‘can I sit with you’ is an act of courage. And caring for someone with mental illness is an act of courage.”

It is also a community issue, he added. “There is a shortage of resources for the mentally ill. You could bring food to the Arrowhead Clubhouse. If you are an artist you could teach a class. We need to act as a community. Events like this keep us focused on doing that.”

Kennedy held nothing back in a passionate reading from her book. She “told her story,” touching on topics such as manic depression, marriage difficulties, and even  a dark chapter from her childhood. She talked of sleeping 18 hours a day until she had the ability to make it out the front door for a walk. That led to having two blocks covered in two weeks. As her depression fell off of her “in layers,” she learned about forgiveness. She ended by saying, “I had a friend through the whole thing, and his name was Jesus.”

Maxwell began by acknowledging that Kenora Clubhouse in North Vancouver “was really important to me when I first got out of the psych ward. It was a stepping stone that allowed me to step into my own life.” She said that’s why she supports the Arrowhead Clubhouse in Sechelt.

Her performance of “Crazy for Life” took the audience on a journey of meditation, LSD (or “Losing Simple Discernment”) and having, in her words, “psychotic breaks” such as “running naked down Tenth Avenue.” Maxwell spoke on the fears many have of taking medication and seeing psychiatrists – yet, she said, “Today I see a psychiatrist, I take medication, I exercise, I meditate. And I am always watching for the darkness or for too much light. The adjustments don’t always stop the swings.”

Macaulay noted: “It takes a lot of bravery to get up and show your friends what is going on.”

And what are five things you can do to boost your mental health?

5. Aim for a good night’s sleep

4. Socialize and connect with people

3. Maintain a well-balanced diet

2. Exercise regularly

1. See “Crazy For Life”