Had a long talk with jb, which we frankly both needed. He said it was okay to mention here. I wanted people to know he's a little more okay now and we're talking about some treatment options at the hospital out here, which has an incredible center for fibromyalgia. He definitely appreciated the concern people showed.
I'll echo a bit of what Mike said so well in saying that jb talked to me about what was going on and I ended up talking to him about all my crap. Somehow we both took a lot of strength both from try to help each other, obviously, but also just from suffering together and sharing that struggle. Even if you feel like all you do is post in here to talk about what is going on with you and why you're so down, there's actually a lot that other people can get from that. It's something I want to think more about.
To switch gears completely, in the interest of providing some balance to the sciencey blather we sometimes get up to in here, I thought I'd take a moment for some religious gobbledygook.
Patron Saints of the Mentally Ill/Against Mental Illness
What is a patron saint?
Wikipedia sums it up pretty nicely:
"A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the tutelary spirit or heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person. Patron saints, having already transcended to the metaphysical, are believed to be able to intercede effectively for the needs of their special charges."
So the idea is basically that you pray to the saints to talk to the big guy for you and throw you a bone.
Patron saints are associated with certain Christian denominations, mainly Catholicism (which is the perspective I'll take, since it's the one I'm familiar with), the Orthodox Church, and Anglicanism, and to a variable degree, with other Protestant denominations (Calvinists: no, Lutherans: to a much lesser degree, etc. Check local listings.).
There are patron saints for just about anything you can imagine - baking (St. Peter is one, much to my joy), sick horses (Hippolytus of Rome), lost causes (Jude Thaddeus), New Zealand (Mary and Joseph, which is a tad lame), etc. There are often multiple patron saints for things. There are over a dozen for the mentally ill or AGAINST mental illness. Here are a few!
Raphael the Archangel is maybe the top choice for the mentally ill/against mental illness. He's one of three archangels mentioned by name in the bible and one of seven who stand before God's throne, so it seems like he'd have to shout less to be heard.
Note that angels never were actual people, so their grasp on what mental illness means may not be the best.
Also patron of: against insanity, against bodily ills, doctors, nurses, guardian angels (wut.), sick people, young people, curiously the town of Dubuque, Iowa
Christina the Astonishing was an orphan who could levitate, and was thought to be either given to visions of God or simply insane. Patron of psychiatrists, mental health caregivers, therapists, lunatics; against insanity, madness, mental illness.
Saint Drogo is notable for being the patron of the mentally ill, but also unattractive people
and coffee house owners. Surely, somewhere in Seattle there's some poor person who needs St. Drogo.
Also patron of: sheep (?), cattle, against broken bones, against hernias, the deaf, mutes, sick people.
A personal favorite. I mean he gets coffee houses, unattractive people, AND sheep? The combination makes my imagination go wild.
Saint Giles gets special mention for being my confirmation saint! I'm quite happy with that decision, made as a surly teenager (I liked that he lived as a hermit, honestly). Once shot with an arrow (in the hand, according to this image), which is cool.
Patron of: the mentally ill, the crippled, beggars, hermits, forests, horses, lepers, cancer patients, blacksmiths
Just excellent overall coverage, really.
Saint Margaret of Cortona is a farmer's daughter whose mother died (a running theme with patrons of the mentally ill, it seems) when she was young. Unlike poor St. Drogo, she was a bit of a looker, and seemed to get around a bit for a saint, before settling down and getting all saintly.
Coverage against insanity and mental illness, against sexual temptation (may not be the kind of thing you're looking for, to be honest), patron of reformed prostitutes and, crucially, hobos.
Job - a big win for mental illness, honestly. Specific coverage against depression (and ulcers).
Saint Benedict Joseph Labre - a one-two patronage punch for bachelors and the mentally ill. Occasionally able to fly, too!
Saint Bibiana - a good one to know. Covers the mentally ill, single ladies and is invoked against hangovers.
Saint Dymphna - one of the big ones for mental illness. Also covers family happiness, loss of parents, psychiatrists, neurological disorders, mental asylums. According to the artistic representation here, kind of smoking for a saint, too.
Prayer to Saint Dymphna
O God, we humbly beseech You through Your servant, St Dymphna, who sealed with her blood the love she bore You, to grant relief to those who suffer from mental afflictions and nervous disorders, especially *NAME*.
Saint Dymphna, helper of the mentally afflicted, pray for us!
Other patron saints of the mentally ill.
As a Catholic, I wanted to just slip in this early bid for canonization as...
Patron saint of depression-GAF. Also: the handsome, cat owners, people wearing their pants on their head, beards, vowels, Moxie, the Ys games, the incurably sexy, against ketchup on hotdogs, against people who like the Lord of the Rings, against Lyme disease (but is admittedly not very good in that regard). I'm not so much ready to talk to God for you as I am to accept your cash donations.
For D&D and/or Catholic rolplaying, use Charisma modifier +10.
Prayer to St. Bagels:
Most venerated, beloved St. Bagels - wow, you're looking good. Just really a handsome dude. I don't know how you do it.
By your immense wisdom, well-maintained beard, and just all around kick-ass-itude, you know, could you, like, ask God to help out the GAF mental health community, if it isn't too much trouble? Especially *NAME* Love that guy/girl! Right?!
Keep being awesome, St. Bagels! And I'm sorry if I ever called you gay in the IRC channel.
Amen
I'm going to hell.
