Let's be real; mental health can be a pretty scary idea. There is so much we don't know about the mind, how it works, and how to keep it healthy. But this uncertainty has taken a huge toll on the way we approach mental health, especially when it comes to mental illness.
Some people just don't understand, especially if they haven't been through it before. This restricts their view of mental illness to simply the stigmas and rumors they hear from day to day.
These stigmas, however, don't accurately represent mental health as a whole; the recent suicides of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade (along with the hundreds of others that occur every week) have brought to light some of the most devastating stigmas our society has placed on ideas surrounding mental health and mental illness.
Above all, we see mental illness as a weakness. We use mental illness unfairly and negatively against people in order to prove them "crazy" or, in effect, unfit for society. This only drives people into silence and loneliness.
In reality, with proper treatment and professional help, those suffering from mental illnesses such as clinical depression, anxiety, and even schizophrenia or bipolar disorder can go on to lead perfectly healthy lives.
Yet, instead of giving these people the help they need to thrive in society, we suppress them and force them to feel as though their point of view is not credible. How messed up is that?
What's interesting, though, is that mental illness can be treated by therapy and medication, just as any physical illness or injury would. Because these illnesses are caused by a significant chemical imbalance in the brain, most mental illnesses cannot be self-treated or cured alone; professional help is often necessary.
But instead of recognizing this fact and using it as a guideline for developing regularized treatments for different mental illness, we ignore it and pretend it doesn't exist. And lately, it has gotten to the point where even speaking of it is taboo.
These stigmas are oppressive. They make it seem as if those who suffer from mental illness are alone. And God forbid they talk to someone about it, because someone may call them 'crazy' or have them sent to a medical facility. This type of thinking can only lead to worse things.
I think the craziest part of this stigma is how ridiculously common mental illness is in our society, and how often it leads to something much worse. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., and each year approximately 44,965 people in the U.S. die from it. That means, on average, there are 123 every day (and that's not even counting attempts). And what's worse is that every single one of these was 100% preventable with the proper care.
A huge problem is that we as citizens only see mental illness and suicide in the media when it relates to celebrities, which prevents us from seeing the magnitude of the epidemic. Even so, how many is enough? How many stories of mental illness and suicide are we going to see before something finally has to change?
I challenge you to speak up. I challenge you to be an ally to those who are suffering from mental illness. And to those who are suffering, know you are not alone. Together, we can change the stigma. We can be better for each other.
