The Importance of Remembering in Mental Health
We are coming to the time of year when we take time out to remember the dead from the First World War. This year is different, however, in that it is the 100th anniversary since the end of “the war to end all wars”. There was a legacy of mental health issues which came from the first great war. Mainly this was in the form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or as it was known then as shell shock.
I mention this because it is something that is important to consider when we think of mental health. Often times, we want to forget the difficulties that we have experienced in our lives. However, this is not only not possible, but I would argue not healthy either. We are an amalgamation of our life experiences and that includes the bad as well as the good. When we take out some time to commemorate the dead of the first world war spare an additional moment to consider your past battles. Whether these battles ended in victory, defeat or a draw, these are some of the most important experiences we will have. We should honour them and ourselves for surviving that which we have experienced.
