"Mental Illness is something that 1 out of 5 American's are affected by", according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness
Mental illness is more common than you may think; holding with it a stigma that can be carried with someone for their entire lives. Like many physical illnesses, a person shouldn't be blamed for having one. A variety of causes can result in the development of a mental illness including: genetic, biological, psychological, and environmental factors. While everyone varies both physically and mentally, here is what someone with a mental illness wants you to know:
1. I don't choose to be this way
Please tell me why I would want to feel differently than everyone else. Why would I choose to be part of a stigma every day of my life and worry about what would happen if someone found out about my illness?
2. Never ask me if I am sure that I have a mental illness
If I have been treated by a licensed medical professional who has diagnosed me with [blank], then yes, I am sure that I have a mental illness.
3. Medication isn't always a perfect fix
Not everyone chooses to or needs to be on medication. If my illness is being treated by a medication, it may not always work as it was intended to. Therefore, if I start acting a certain way, it does not mean that "I forgot to take my meds"; please stop asking me that. Yes, I do work with my doctor to have my medications adjusted to my needs, but science isn't always perfect.
4. Just because I don't look like I have a mental illness, doesn't mean that I don't have one
I do not need to act a specific way in order to have a mental illness. Just because you can't see my illness, doesn't mean I don't have one. Some people are very good at hiding their mental illness from even their closest friends and family, so don't assume that you know me.
5. Not everyone with my mental illness is just like me
When talking to me about my mental illness, don't refer to someone else who is "going through the same thing", as a way to comprehend or compare my life. The way I feel or act may not be even remotely close to the way someone else does.
6. Just because I don't think like you, doesn't make me wrong
Yes, I do have a mental illness and yes, I probably won't always think or feel the same things that you do. That's okay though; that's what makes me who I am as an individual. I may see or feel things that you can't understand, but this doesn't make it okay for you to tell me that I am wrong. Listen to what I have to say.
7. Belittling me for my mental illness is not okay
Just because I have a mental illness does not make me less of a person than anyone else. It does not make me weak or incapable of living a(n almost) normal life. I do not deserve to feel poorly about a part of myself that I can't control.
8. Stop using words like "depressed" and "bipolar" so loosely
But don't step on eggshells around me either. I know that you may not be educated on what I am going through and I know that those are terms that are often freely used in everyday life. However, if you know that I have a mental illness, please, educate yourself before you speak.
9. Don't tell someone with a mental illness how they should or shouldn't feel
"You shouldn't be depressed, things are going good for you". "Why are you anxious when nothing stressful is going on in your life right now?". "You should calm down, you can stop yourself from having a panic attack". "You shouldn't be acting like this". "You should be grateful, someone else has it way worse than you".
Are you me? Do you have the same mental illness as me? No? Then don't tell me how I should feel. How I feel is not my decision, so don't make me feel like it should be.
10. I am not my mental illness
Just because I have a mental illness does not mean that I am not a functional, important member of society. I can work like you, learn like you, be in relationships like you, and have kids like you. While it is true that these things may be more difficult for me or that they may require some modifications, there is no reason why I can't live the life of someone who does not have a mental illness.
In honor of National Mental Illness Awareness week coming up on October 2nd, visit http://www.nami.org/stigmafree and take the pledge to promote acceptance and to actively challenge social stereotypes. Through powerful words and actions, we will shift the social and systemic barriers for those living with mental health conditions and encourage acceptance and understanding.
For more information go to: http://www.nami.org/
