Today is the 1st of May - The beginning of Mental Health Awareness Month! <3
Today's mental health awareness month! Spread love, spread joy, but most importantly, spread awareness about mental health! Mental health is often neglected by the vast majority of people, and it's ever more so important for people who engage in regulated activities to be well aware of mental disorders as mental health plays a massive role in your life! Mental health could be the thing that distinguishes you from having the absolute best OPSEC to having OPSEC that could collapse at any time due to your mental health. Mental health doesn't just affect you, it affects everyone surrounding you! So please, take care of your mental health, and further understand yourself and your needs! As everyone's different, different people have different needs. There are many different types of mental disorders such anxiety, depression and paranoia which are the most commonly known. Then there are mental disorders such as narcissism, personality disorders and PTSD which aren't so commonly known. Regardless of its 'popularity' one isn't less important than the other one, they equally matter just as you matter!
Why should someone who's a part of a regulated activity to be well aware of mental disorders?
First of all, what are the regulated actives? These can involve actives such as being a vendor, buyer, activist, admin/moderator of a site and much more! As they are all regulated, you'd expect them to be really focused on OPSEC and what brings to the activity. Mental health is parallel to your performance, it's a reflection of how you are as a person! If your mental health is 'foggy' or it isn't well, chances are your performance would drop down and you'd lack performing at your best! For actives such as these, it's always good to be aware of early symptoms so you can watch the LE dig their nails and have them find nothing about you!
How should people who take part in regulated actives get to be aware of mental disorders?
Unfortunately, mental health professions is something very limited for someone who's a part of regulated actives and resources are also limited for them. As a disadvantaged community (arguably holding the most amount of people who are apart of regulated actives) we should be here for each other and to take care of each other! Although there's lack of reasources, there are many sites in which you can use to learn more about mental health disorders, one site that's very user friendly are https://mind.org.uk and https://cdc.gov they both work using VPN and through the access of TOR. One of my favorite sites is https://verywellmind.com which unfortunately doesn't allow TOR access, but a VPN works fine!
How can you, as a user, spread mental health awareness?
If you already acknowledge mental health, you're already substantial to mental health awareness! Throughout this month, try to also check up on others once in a while, you may never know what's on their head and what's bothering them until you ask! Be kind, be polite and listen when someone tells you about their problems, sometimes all a person needs is to be heard! :)
I love each individual who's reading this, you're amazing and I value you, never give up! :)