So I feel like saying some things about mental illness and witchcraft/occult practice. This is aimed towards people like me who deal with both, rather than those who don't have MH issues, occultists or not. 1/x

It's neither my responsibility, nor that of any other MI person, to educate others about why you shouldn't be a dismissive, condescending asshole to us, and/or why you shouldn't look down on other practitioners who struggle with their MH. 2/x

Having said that, here are some things I have learned over the years, as I've struggled with major depressive and generalized anxiety disorders, and likely PTSD as well. They may be relevant to you, or not. 3/x

1. Get the idea out of your head that you can and should try to "magic" away your MI. I mean it. It's not a test of your skill or Will or self-control. Your brain doesn't work right in some respects. That's all. You are not a lesser practitioner or person because of it. 4/x

2. If handling both ordinary life stuff AND magic sometimes feels overwhelming, incorporate spiritual cleansing into your everyday practices. For instance, I put Florida water into hair products I use daily for an automatic head-clearing. 5/x

Yes, things work best with intent, but you know, if you can't muster that, using soap with peppermint or sandalwood, or putting some lavender into a humidifier, can make a hell of a lot of difference, magically speaking. 6/x

3. Pursuant to that, don't kick yourself for not being able to do things, ordinary or magical, every single day. Yes, discipline and regular practice are important, but you are playing on an uneven field. Ask yourself how you can level it out and do your best. 7/x

4. Your gods and spirits understand the difference between you just being a slacker and you genuinely having problems. They might kick your ass for the former, but IME rarely will for the latter unless you're in complete denial. Again, do your best. 8/x

HOWEVER, don't break any oaths. If you aren't sure you can manage to fulfill or keep those oaths, don't swear them in the first place, or word them in a way that won't make you an oathbreaker if you can't fulfill them due to your mental health. 9/x

5. Ask for whatever support you can. Your friends and family are concerned for you, but even if you think they aren't, please be concerned for YOURSELF. You are worth it. You are a being with a lot of potential, and not to be given up on. 10/x

6. Seek out medical help. I know this is unpopular in some circles and difficult/expensive for many, but therapy and/or medication, as well as alternative treatments, can help establish a baseline for you to work with that is far healthier than just staying sick. 11/x

7. Pray. Ask your spirits, ancestors, and deities for help. Your ancestors in particular may have struggled with some of the same MH issues, and they may have advice or just want to see you overcome something that may have not had treatment available in their time. 12/x

8. If you're unsure whether a spiritual or magical practice is safe or healthy or even useful to you, get divination on it, or ask for a sign from your spirit allies that this is a good thing to do. Don't assume that what works for someone else is going to work for you. 13/x

9. Finally, and I know some people may take this the wrong way, but...remember there is actually power in mental illness, in walking through the Land of Crazy, as it were. There's a reason why the Wounded Healer is an archetype, and it applies here as well. 14/x

This is not a reason to drop your medical treatment and declare yourself CURED! by your spellwork or whatever. This is about learning from your pain. The power you gain from this might already be there, or take many years to acquire, but I assure you, you can have it. 15/x

And it isn't about PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWER to smite your enemies or lure hapless acolytes to your side, either. I'd say that's probably an example of MI gone too far. It's about what Starhawk called "power-from-within." It's also about compassion. 16/x

Because here's a secret: if you can't have compassion for yourself or people in the same situation, you're going to have a hard time connecting with the spirits of the land, with other spirits, with the dead, with the gods, even. Compassion isn't weakness or forgiveness. 17/x

It's about doing what you need to do, but without either self-hatred or selfishness. You need that dispassionate attitude at certain points. It's a difficult state of mind even for non-MI people, and may seem impossible for people like us. But it's not! 18/x

I can't explain it more than that, and I've been working on it for years. But you can do it. You can get to a point where even if things aren't ideal, they're bearable, and from there, you can build a solid base for both your practice and your personal life. 19/x

Anyway, YMMV, as I said. Do what is safest and best for you. Listen to your ancestors and/or spirit allies. Know yourself. You can both have a MI and a working magical/occult practice, and the two things need not clash or be unhealthily co-dependent. /end