Some people are better at hiding their feelings than others. Some days I find myself showing so much more than I want to. I spend most of my time trying to fight a battle against myself. Keeping it a secret isn't always easy. How do you hide the fact that some days it feels as though you can't keep your head above water? Mental illnesses force you to fight yourself. You fight to keep being the person you want to be, the person you truly are. No battle is more tiring or troublesome than this. People are quick to judge you. You have a mental illness so right away you are "crazy." You have a mental illness so they treat you differently or try to avoid you all together. The stigma about mental illness only creates more problems. People who already fear most everything have to fear telling people the truth. The truth that we are just a little different than other people, but no one ever said that was a bad thing.
We see the world through different angles and lights. Something that people do every day can be an impossible task for us. My kryptonite is driving. I am currently 22 years old and I don't have a drivers license. The thought of taking the road test alone sets me into a panic that can last up to two days. Some people with OCD fear to leave their home and being judged because of the habits that they need to do just to keep a level head. A simple everyday task could take us years to get used to, let alone be able to do. And let me clarify here, I say "we" because there are many different types of mental illness. I am not putting people with mental illnesses into their own group, I say it based on the different types people suffer from. I I myself have a severe anxiety caused panic disorder as well as moderate depression. The stigma is felt no matter the diagnosis. No matter if you suffer from bipolar disorder or anxiety, there is a stigma about it.
We are still people, we still live (mostly) normal lives. We do all of the things other people do, even if they are done a little differently. Just because someone is diagnosed with a mental illness does not mean that they are broken or should be "locked up." It is an illness, with treatments just like any other illness. It is treatable and due to the stigma we see in today's society, many people choose not to seek the treatment. People are so afraid of people's judgement that they would rather not be treated at all. Some people even live their whole lives in secret treating themselves so no one knows they have an illness. The judgement and the hate needs to come to an end. It only makes things worse for the person with the illness.
If you know someone or you yourself are suffering from a mental illness you are not alone. It is so important to remember that you are important to someone and you need to keep fighting not only for yourself but for your loved one's as well. Together we can end the stigma and show people what we are capable of which, is everything and anything we want.
