Time for a cuppa.

Very often this blog receives some rather strange anonymous comments

They range from threats to nonsensical paranoid rants.

I've spoken about these comments here and there since the blog started.

Some of the comments have been shared and others have made the journey to the recycle bin, and then onto who knows where after that.

All come from angry people, some are sad and some are funny, but in general I have come to the conclusion that most, but not all of course, are clear indicators of the writers mental health.

They are short and sharp snapshots of how they view the world at that very moment in time.

They are angry, upset and lashing out.

Maybe the comments could be construed as cries for help.

Of course they wouldn't consider that to be the case at all, but as they are attempting to rant on a blog that has a public audience I suppose we could all accept that they are looking for a reaction.

So subconsciously they want to engage in some way.

I really don't want anyone to misconstrue what I am saying here.

I'm not talking about individuals disagreeing with me and coaching a response in a reasoned and logical manner.

That's fine, and I will always have time to respond to that sort of response to an update, even if it is anonymous, but what I am talking about here is the outpouring of bile, as mentioned paranoid delusions, and very poor attempts to create disharmony between people where there is little or none.

A few days ago I had one closely followed by another.

The first was a general dig at the blog, and the second an admonishment of the dig that included a name that would indicate that they knew who the original poster was.

Immediately the question must be asked how they would know who the initial poster was as at that point both comments were languishing in my inbox and hadn't been made public.

So the logical conclusion is that both anonymous posts came from the same individual.

Initially I thought that it was a rather pathetic attempt from someone to draw attention to themselves and their loosely termed artistic endeavours.

After all it is a commonly held opinion that there's no such a thing as bad publicity, just publicity.

Then today I awoke to another missive.

The content of it may as well have been written in neon and left hovering above the contributors head as it very clearly says to me who it is due to past experiences/contact with them.

I wouldn't mention their name publicly because apart from not being able to substantiate the name beyond the shadow of a doubt I wouldn't actually do that to someone who is clearly going through a low ebb at this moment in time.

It would be the reality of kicking someone when they are down, and this is not an attack on them.

However I do feel that this needs to be made public because it brings me to something else.

That something else is about a social responsibility that we all have.

If any of us have a friend who is maybe behaving erratically and lashing out in some way or another, physically or verbally, then we should help.

Just like if we became aware that a close friend was self harming then we would advocate that they visit a professional, then I would urge others to similarly offer that advice when a mate divulges their participation in different behaviours that are a concern.

Even if that's them sharing that they have been indulging in delivering what is little more than manipulative hate mail.

There are consequences to their actions and a real friend would point that out to them.

I don't mean consequences like police involvement, but more so a decline in their mental health until they are seriously unwell.

An intervention is needed for their sake.

I consider that the person who is currently posting to this blog has lost a a certain degree of a grip on what can be construed as normal behaviour.

They are unwell.

They are seeing issues where there are none, attempting to create conflict where there is none, and in all honesty seeing the blog, and by extension of it myself, as a bogeyman that needs to be challenged.

If I was to upload the comments and share them the main response would be a query about their relevance to the posts that they are responding to as there is none.

None at all.

I sincerely hope that they have told a friend, or partner, about what they are doing and equally I sincerely hope that they are taking steps to either get them help, or are pushing them in the direction of seeking some additional support themselves.

I appreciate that some may wish to know who I am talking about, but I'll not be divulging that, and instead leave you with a thought.

If you think you know who it is based on something said by them, or this reminds you of someone that you know, then maybe it is time to have a word with them.

I'm not talking about people having a silly joke of course.

Let your own judgement guide you.

There's help out there.

Breathing space

MIND - For better mental health.