What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you hear the words "mental illness"? I'm just guessing, but you probably didn't know exactly what to think. For many, it was something along the lines of I don't know much about mental illness or maybe it was something like mental illness is the leading cause for violence in America. Maybe, just maybe, you thought of a friend or family member struggling from a mental illness. Maybe you thought of someone you lost to mental illness. I could be wrong, in which case I'll pack up my soap box right now, but most people don't truly understand what it means to be mentally ill. Part of the problem is that there are so many varying degrees of mental illness, many of which I don't have a complete understanding of either. There's depression, bipolar disorder(s), schizophrenia, Post-traumatic stress, anxiety, Seasonal Affective disorder, borderline personality, autism spectrum, eating disorders, Obsessive compulsive, schizoaffective, dissociative, tourettes, and so many more. Each of these disorders is different and not only affects a person's brain differently, but also requires differing treatment plans. One thing is for certain: nobody would willing choose to suffer from a mental illness.
Talked about behind closed doors and in whispered tones, people suffering from mental illness fear the reactions of friends and family. The constant worry of judgment and misunderstanding follows you through every step of every day. People believe you are crazy, lazy, or pitiful. Nobody views you in the same way, which is reflected in the way they treat you. I can tell you from personal experience that I have had some friends criticize me for my disorders (which are out of my control, by the way!). I have had friends delete me on facebook, talk about me behind my back, and send harsh messages over social media or text. While most of my friends have been relatively open and understanding, there have been some who have made me question myself enough to tell you that the stigma is still alive in this generation (which is stupid. screw them, right? right.).
Any time there is some sort of tragedy or mass shooting, people jump to the conclusion that the perpetrator suffered from a mental illness- depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, etc. I've researched the subject in depth (I wrote a paper on it, actually) and the truth of the matter is that this stereotype comes from the uninformed media. 1 in 100 people suffer from schizophrenia and 1 in 4 suffer from a mental illness. If every person who suffered from a mental illness committed a violent act, they would be occurring even more frequently. Mental illness doesn't cause violence, bad people cause violence. We are afraid of this idea, though. People search desperately to find a reason behind these senseless acts. Instead of it being random and evil, people find a reason to blame these inexcusable acts on. Look at the way mental illness is portrayed in the movies and TV shows. Jokes about psych wards and "crazy pills" are thrown into the media ever-so nonchalantly. Look at the movie psycho. The killer is "psycho" (hence the title) and struggling from mental illness. That movie gave me nightmares, as it was supposed to. In reality, that sort of violence is rare and not an accurate depiction of those struggling with mental illness. A more accurate depiction would be someone like you or me (oh wait, yes. Definitely me); someone functioning in society LIKE A NORMAL PERSON (because mental illness is not crazy or unusual).
Mental illness is neither rare nor dangerous. The danger comes from the stigma. The danger comes when people don't know how to get help or are too afraid to admit something is wrong. I know I was. 1 in 4 people. 25%. 1/4. ONE IN FOUR FREAKING PEOPLE GOSH DANG IT. It is SO common, and yet how many people do you know openly admit to this ailment? Not many. I don't know how else to say this, scream this, post this, prove this. If it doesn't mean me, it means that someone else you know and love is suffering right now whether you know it or not. Just because they haven't told you, doesn't meant they aren't struggling. It just means they are too scared to speak up. Although these types of illnesses are battled inside the brain, it does not make them any less real. They are as real as any other medical disease such as cancer, high blood pressure, or diabetes. I doubt that any of you would walk up to a woman with breast cancer and tell her to "snap out of it" or "if you pray hard enough, it will go away", which are a sampling of responses I have received over the time I've been struggling with these disorders. For some reason, people seem to think this is an appropriate response to people suffering from depression or mental illness. Trust me, nobody would choose to suffer from a mental illness just like nobody would choose to be plagued with cancer. Mental illnesses should not be taken lightly as they seriously affect people's lives. However, with the right medication and counseling, people with mental illness can be fully functioning members of society. Just because a person has a mental illness does not mean they are doomed to a life of destitution. With the right help, we can all live happy, healthy lives.
http://www.nami.org/ National Alliance for Mental Illnesses
http://bringchange2mind.org/ Bring Change 2 Mind
http://twloha.com/ To Write Love on Her Arms
http://www.afsp.org/ American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE ARE STRUGGLING WITH SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, PLEASE call this hotline and start on the healing road to recovery! 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
***
Mental illnesses affect the functioning of everyday life. You don't sleep well, or you sleep too much. You lock the front door 15 times before leaving the house. You let out profane words uncontrollably. You don't always know who you are. You don't eat or absorb the proper nutrients. You isolate yourself. In one way or another, your mental illness negatively affects your life and your interactions with others. Nobody would want the added weight of living if they could choose.Talked about behind closed doors and in whispered tones, people suffering from mental illness fear the reactions of friends and family. The constant worry of judgment and misunderstanding follows you through every step of every day. People believe you are crazy, lazy, or pitiful. Nobody views you in the same way, which is reflected in the way they treat you. I can tell you from personal experience that I have had some friends criticize me for my disorders (which are out of my control, by the way!). I have had friends delete me on facebook, talk about me behind my back, and send harsh messages over social media or text. While most of my friends have been relatively open and understanding, there have been some who have made me question myself enough to tell you that the stigma is still alive in this generation (which is stupid. screw them, right? right.).
Any time there is some sort of tragedy or mass shooting, people jump to the conclusion that the perpetrator suffered from a mental illness- depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, etc. I've researched the subject in depth (I wrote a paper on it, actually) and the truth of the matter is that this stereotype comes from the uninformed media. 1 in 100 people suffer from schizophrenia and 1 in 4 suffer from a mental illness. If every person who suffered from a mental illness committed a violent act, they would be occurring even more frequently. Mental illness doesn't cause violence, bad people cause violence. We are afraid of this idea, though. People search desperately to find a reason behind these senseless acts. Instead of it being random and evil, people find a reason to blame these inexcusable acts on. Look at the way mental illness is portrayed in the movies and TV shows. Jokes about psych wards and "crazy pills" are thrown into the media ever-so nonchalantly. Look at the movie psycho. The killer is "psycho" (hence the title) and struggling from mental illness. That movie gave me nightmares, as it was supposed to. In reality, that sort of violence is rare and not an accurate depiction of those struggling with mental illness. A more accurate depiction would be someone like you or me (oh wait, yes. Definitely me); someone functioning in society LIKE A NORMAL PERSON (because mental illness is not crazy or unusual).
Mental illness is neither rare nor dangerous. The danger comes from the stigma. The danger comes when people don't know how to get help or are too afraid to admit something is wrong. I know I was. 1 in 4 people. 25%. 1/4. ONE IN FOUR FREAKING PEOPLE GOSH DANG IT. It is SO common, and yet how many people do you know openly admit to this ailment? Not many. I don't know how else to say this, scream this, post this, prove this. If it doesn't mean me, it means that someone else you know and love is suffering right now whether you know it or not. Just because they haven't told you, doesn't meant they aren't struggling. It just means they are too scared to speak up. Although these types of illnesses are battled inside the brain, it does not make them any less real. They are as real as any other medical disease such as cancer, high blood pressure, or diabetes. I doubt that any of you would walk up to a woman with breast cancer and tell her to "snap out of it" or "if you pray hard enough, it will go away", which are a sampling of responses I have received over the time I've been struggling with these disorders. For some reason, people seem to think this is an appropriate response to people suffering from depression or mental illness. Trust me, nobody would choose to suffer from a mental illness just like nobody would choose to be plagued with cancer. Mental illnesses should not be taken lightly as they seriously affect people's lives. However, with the right medication and counseling, people with mental illness can be fully functioning members of society. Just because a person has a mental illness does not mean they are doomed to a life of destitution. With the right help, we can all live happy, healthy lives.
This video is a perfect summary of this whole post:
"It's woven into the fabric of our society and it stems back centuries, really, when mental illness was considered a character flaw."
"Every life is touched by mental illness"
"We have to be the generation to really normalize and get people talking about it because if we don't nothing's going to change, and we need it to change."
#stigmasucks #bethechange
Please, it's too important to not try to change it.
***
For more information about mental health and suicide prevention here are some resources that can get you started:http://www.nami.org/ National Alliance for Mental Illnesses
http://bringchange2mind.org/ Bring Change 2 Mind
http://twloha.com/ To Write Love on Her Arms
http://www.afsp.org/ American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE ARE STRUGGLING WITH SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, PLEASE call this hotline and start on the healing road to recovery! 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
No comments:
Post a Comment