I was privileged and honored to be part of The Voice Of Hope Newsletter. Recently I was interviewed by Dianne Stringer who is the Peer Support Coordinator and a Recovery Educator at Patient/Client & Family Council in Penetanguishene, Ontario Canada. Their Mission:

To establish viable partnerships between patient/consumers, families, caregivers and the community, to support patient/consumers during treatment, recovery and return to their communities of choice.

The Patient/Client & Family Council (PCFC) is a consumer owned and operated, non-profit organization, and they endeavor to establish viable partnerships between patient/clients, families, caregivers and the community, and to support clients during treatment, recovery and the return to their communities of choice.

Here is part One of the article:

Chato B. Stewart is one of those gems you find when Googling for information for this newsletter. He opened himself up to me recently. Turns out, this guy has some real insight and we could all learn something from his path and his laughter.

Dianne: Tell me of a time when humour aided you out of the darkness of mental illness or even a difficult moment.

Chato: First, please forgive me if I use the American spelling of Humour, as humor… I don’t want to confuse too many of my compatriots when they read this article.

There is one very dark point in my life that actually leads to the beginning of me drawing the Mental Health Humor cartoons. After a 2 year hiatus from reality and off medications, I reached the most fatal point… With my unbalanced mind, I thought suicide was the answer. It’s NEVER the answer! Nevertheless, when your mental illness takes full-hold of your reality, your reasoning ability becomes distorted. We somehow convince ourselves that it is the solution. While I don’t think there’s anything humorous about suicide, humor played a part of getting me out of the darkness of a difficult moment.

There I was distraught, emotionally unstable and with a knife pressed tightly against my wrist, already breaking the skin and I’m about to do the unthinkable on the side of the road in my work truck…When I had a semblance of hope with a glance of clarity. Deeply troubled and concerned I said out loud something like, ‘I can’t do this, what if someone finds me and calls 911 and the hospital administers a medical procedure that I don’t want?’

Realizing I was more worried about a medical procedure and not the fact that I was about to attempt to take my own life, made me crack up. I started to laugh and cry at the same time. Yes, in my most difficult moment I found humor… And it saved me.

Mental Health Humor Cartoons

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Do you need help with paranoia? Make a FREE Trust List sheet PDF file: FREE – The Trust List.

Would you like a FREE copy of my 2010 Mental Health Humor e-book? Sign up and confirm your e-mail address for my newsletter! Once you do that, you will be sent the link with the password to download your free copy of my first cartoon e-book. Once a month, I’ll send you a simple little newsletter. Keeping you updated; along with a few special features about recovery while trying to add a little humor to your day!

If you’re reading this, then leave a comment below and you will be entered to win a free caricature.

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From Psych Central's website:
The Voice Of Hope: Humor to Escape Mental Illness | Mental Health Humor (September 13, 2011)

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The Voice of Hope: Positive Mental Health Humor | Mental Health Humor (September 14, 2011)

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The Voice of Hope: When Did you start Drawing Mental Health Humor Cartoons | Mental Health Humor (September 15, 2011)

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The Voice of Hope: Words Of the Wisdomless | Mental Health Humor (September 16, 2011)

    Last reviewed: 12 Sep 2011