MENTAL HEALTH * SERIOUSLY

NO JOKING TODAY FOLKS ! I'm upset beyond upset and don't know how to convey this to people I love but sometimes we just can't "HANDLE IT" !
That used to be Husbands favorite phrase when I was feeling depressed or angry or overwhelmed. He would give me a look of bewilderment, total uncomprehending, and tell me to " GET OVER IT!" As if that were something within my realm of capability that I just hadn't thought of on my own.
Guess what ! There ARE some of us folks out here who, try as we may, just can not get our emotions in check to function in a calm, acceptable manner all day every day. Some of us need a little help every so often and THANK YOU GOD the pharmaceutical companies have been more than obliging in finding ways to accommodate us. It is a growing and profitable business which unfortunately doesn't add to the credibility of mental health but thank God the help is there because the NEED is there.
I happen to have some history of mental issues in my family. (Although some of us will not admit to the fact.) Times being what they were in the early to mid 1900's we can't really be sure what the exact problems were but as I look around me today ... Well, let's just say all the nuts didn't fall far from the tree.
Seriously, my mom had anger issues, my dad, for as calm as he appeared to one and all, had a horrible temper once it was unleashed. He was completely out of control once he lost his temper, which I was fortunate enough to have only witnessed once or twice as a child.  My German grandfather was apparently one step this side of Hitler and one of his sons was in a mental institute. Those are just the few I can talk about.  What I am saying here is that everyone knows someone who could use a little something to take the edge off in life BUT SOMETIMES there are family traits, something in the genes, something genetically passed on from generation to generation that you just can not brush off as JUST GET OVER IT !
And that, my dear one one, is when you look at yourself in the mirror and say, "I NEED HELP!".
It's not easy to do, especially for men who seem to think THEY can be in control of their lives. You start making excuses about the job being too demanding, the kids are behavior problems, you have money problems, the car isn't working right, you need a new roof. It goes on and on and the reasons your STRESS builds and builds and you explode at everything. Everyone tells you that's "NORMAL" because you are under so much pressure but when you are turning purple because of the rage you are feeling and can't control that emotion of anger you are well beyond the range of normal.
You can't control your brain. Mental health controls you. Suck it up, get help, save yourself and save your family.  IT'S IMPORTANT !