As Suicide Awareness Month rolls around, I find myself reflecting on one of the darkest periods of my life—a time when I felt utterly powerless, so consumed by the weight of my mental health struggles that I saw no way out. After years of battling Bipolar Disorder, Alcoholism, Anxiety, and PTSD, I felt that my life was no longer in my control. Every decision, every thought was dictated by the chaos inside my head, leaving me in a state of constant despair.
At my lowest point, I believed that the only solution was to end it all.
That moment—when you feel that there’s no future, no hope, no way forward—is hard to describe. It’s suffocating. Everything becomes dark and overwhelming, and the thought of another day seems unbearable. That’s where I was. But, somehow, I got a second chance at life. And that second chance became the catalyst for everything that came next.
The Second Chance
With that second chance, I realized something powerful: emotions, as overwhelming as they can be, also hold the key to transformation. They are the source of our greatest pain but can also be the engine that drives us to overcome even the darkest moments.
I began to focus on rebuilding my mental health, to understand that instead of letting my emotions control me, I could harness them to reclaim my life. And that’s when I created the Mental Health Warrior Program, a self-help system designed to help others facing similar struggles take back control and triumph over life’s challenges.
But this isn’t just my story. While I was on this journey of recovery and empowerment, I found unexpected allies—people who understood the battles I’d fought, even if their circumstances were entirely different. One of these allies was John Rambo.
My Conversation with John Rambo
It was a chance encounter, really. I was standing in line at the store one day, wearing my Mental Health Warrior Program sweatshirt, when none other than John Rambo himself ended up standing beside me. Rambo—legendary soldier, survivor of countless battles, both external and internal—looked at me, noticed my sweatshirt, and asked about the program.
I explained the idea behind the Mental Health Warrior Program: that after 20 years of feeling powerless and nearly losing my life to my mental health struggles, I realized that within our emotions lies the power to overcome anything. I shared how I’d used that power to regain control over my life and help others do the same.
Rambo listened quietly, then nodded, his intense gaze softening just a bit. "I know that feeling," he said. "There were times when I was close to the edge too. I didn’t know if I could keep going. But like you, I found out that emotions can either destroy you or give you the strength to keep fighting."
He went on to share three moments from his life when he, too, felt powerless—when his emotions nearly led him to give up, but ultimately gave him the strength to rise again.
Example 1: Haunted by the Past
Rambo began by telling me about the time after his first mission when he returned home, only to find that he didn’t belong anywhere anymore. His emotions—rage, grief, and confusion—became overwhelming. He couldn’t turn them off, couldn’t escape them. "There were nights when I thought it’d be easier just to end it," he admitted.
"But then I realized… those emotions, as terrible as they were, were also the fuel. They reminded me that I was still alive, still fighting. I used that pain to keep going, to make sense of what I’d been through."
The Lesson:
Pain can feel unbearable, but within that pain is the strength to move forward. The emotions that seem like they’re drowning you can also become the source of your resilience.
2. The Struggle to Control Fear
Rambo shared another story, this one from a mission deep in the jungle. Surrounded by enemies, cut off from his team, and facing the prospect of certain death, fear began to take over. "It was like the fear was in control," he said. "I thought I was going to lose it."
But in that terrifying moment, Rambo remembered a piece of advice from an old commander: "Manage your emotions, and the rest will follow." He stopped trying to push the fear away and instead embraced it, using it to sharpen his focus and survive the mission.
The Lesson:
Fear is a powerful emotion, but instead of letting it control you, you can harness it to help you stay focused and push through even the most challenging situations.
3. The Search for Purpose
Finally, Rambo told me about a period in his life when he was merely surviving, going through the motions, unsure of what his next step should be. He had been through so much, and without a sense of purpose, he felt lost. "It wasn’t until I started helping others that I felt like I had a reason to keep going," he said. "When I saw that my story, my battles, could make a difference for someone else, it gave me a reason to keep fighting."
The Lesson:
Sharing your story can give others the hope and strength they need to keep going. By helping others, you often help yourself find meaning and purpose.
The Power of Mental Health
As we stood there, talking in the store, it became clear that although we came from different worlds, we were on the same path. We had both discovered that managing emotions was the key to triumphing over the darkest moments in life. Rambo may have been a warrior in the battlefield, but he was also a Mental Health Warrior. He understood, as I do, that emotions are not something to be feared—they are the power that helps us rise above our challenges.
Before we parted ways, Rambo gave me a look I won’t forget. "If you ever feel like you’re at the end again, just remember—there’s always a way out. We’ve been there. We’re proof that you can survive it."
A Message of Hope
This conversation with Rambo was a reminder that even in the most extreme circumstances, you can find hope and strength. If you’re struggling with your mental health and feeling powerless, know that you are not alone. There is a way forward, even when it seems impossible.
Rambo and I both faced moments where we thought we had no options left, where our emotions threatened to consume us. But we found that those same emotions held the key to our survival and growth. Through understanding and managing them, we reclaimed our lives.
So, during this Suicide Awareness Month, remember this: you are never as powerless as you feel. There is hope, there is help, and there is a future waiting for you. For you are stronger than you know, and you are never alone in this fight. Let your emotions guide you as a Mental Health Warrior to triumph over your life’s challenges, just like Rambo and I did!
Bruce Schutter
Creator of Mental Health Warrior Program and Challenge Coin
コメント