In the world we all inhabit today mental Illness has built up quite a few stigmas that adversely stereotype the true struggles a person living with a mental illness faces almost everyday if not all days. The task I hope to achieve with these journal entries is to make the true struggles of mental illness and the toll it takes on regular everyday people like you and me.

Day 1

Hello again,

It is nice talking with you again, I was beginning to feel lonely. I wish I had more to talk about with you, but since you kept me home yesterday I lost my job. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate you , you are the only one who knows the true me, you’re my best friend. I feel like I’m starting to bother you, I’m sorry I’ll shut up now and go back to pretending to sleep.

Day 2

Dear Illness,

They don’t understand me like you do. I’m sorry I took the new medicine, I felt incomplete without you holding on to me. My family kept screaming at me today about being lazy, but what they didn’t understand is how much pain I was in, the headaches are getting excruciating I could barely get out of bed this morning. I’m sorry I’m complaining, I should be happy you want to spend so much time with me. I guess I was just hoping you could back off for a little bit so I wouldn’t make my family mad. Never mind I’m sorry, I’m so stupid. You’re my best friend, you have always been there.

Day 3

Best Friend,

He left me today, I feel like my heart is about to rip from out of my just, it hurts so badly. He said I was too crazy, that he thought dating me would be more exciting like the movies, but that I was just to hard to put up with. Maybe I should just give up, I wouldn’t have to dread about getting up in the morning and pretending to be fine, and that I’m confident. When I know I’m ugly and that I’m stupid, and that no one actually wants me around. I’m just bothersome and make the peoples lives around me harder. They are all to nice to say it, but he is right, I am to hard to put up with.

Day 4

Hey,

The pain is gone now, everything is gone now. I love the feeling of being Numb.

Day 5

Hey,

I have a new job interview today so I need to leave you behind if that’s okay. I’m sorry but I can’t bring you with me, they’ll think I’m crazy. Fine you’re right I’ll probably fail at it anyways, I guess I’ll just stay in bed it is friendlier here anyways.

Day 6

Dear Friend,

I didn’t get out of bed today, my headache has moved into my back now. I couldn’t even put on my clothes without wanting to cry from the pain. I am afraid you might be killing me. I’m sorry I’ll stop talking to you now, I know you can’t stand looking at my ugly face for to long.

Day 7

Hi,

I am so lost today, my head is in a fog. I went out to lunch with some of my cousins cause my parents forced me to. I t was an okay experience, I guess. You’re right though they probably do hate me now, no one ever likes to put up with me for to long.

Mental Illness is often romanticized in movies, when in reality it can rip your life apart and ostracize you from everyone you love.. Sometimes people date people with mental illness thinking the relationship will be fantastic and epic like the movies show, then they leave the person because they weren’t what they expected. Some people even think Mental illness is just an excuse to get out of work or chores, but mental illness can believe it or not cause a person physical pain that is debilitating. It can also cause insomnia due to giving person constant irrational thoughts that they know are ridiculous but can’t control. Lastly It can cause a person to have self deprecating thoughts that can eventually equate to them feeling worthless and bothersome. Lets turn the stigmas of mental illness on their heads and help the people around us struggling to even survive.. #BreaktheStigma