I Wave My Flag For Mental Illness
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

I Wave My Flag For Mental Illness

It's time to normalize...

154
I Wave My Flag For Mental Illness
Angelina Sakkestad

Mental Illness Awareness Day just passed. October 10th marks the day where celebrities and advocates for mental health wave their flag a little bit higher and a little bit longer, desperate to catch someone’s attention.

This flag-waving isn’t in vain but it's in this overwhelming desire for someone to see. It just seems like, during the other 364 days of the year, mental illness is absolutely glossed over. No one wants to talk about it. It’s too tender of a subject. Well, tough luck because at this point, it is imperative that we start talking about mental illness.

Let’s bring mental illness into normalcy. Let’s start to tell children that it’s okay to be sad sometimes. It’s okay to be sad all the time when you can’t even tell them why. It’s okay to hear and see things, and it’s okay to feel like different people squeezed into one vessel.

While some of these are allusions to serious mental illnesses, it makes normalizing them that much more important. Should these children have the symptoms, or develop these illnesses, the idea that it’s alright means they’re more likely to seek help.

Imagine the masses that currently are denying a possibility of being mentally ill because it’s weakness. But imagine how many of these people would seek help if “weak” never even crossed their mind. Even further, imagine that those who want to seek help, but don’t have the means to do so, were provided easier access to therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Imagine how many people wouldn’t be afraid to feel happy, or even content.

We need to normalize mental illness. As much as we need to educate children seeking help, we desperately need to normalize interacting with mentally ill people. If I introduced myself as “Hi, I’m Angelina and I have symptoms of anxiety and depression. How are you?”, do you really think I’d still have the same friends I do at this moment?

Why is it that when I ask, “Can you please not do that, it makes me really anxious?”, I get a laugh and have to ask multiple times to finally get them to stop? Shouldn’t the fact that I’m severely uncomfortable and don’t feel safe in the situation be enough to get them to stop? Apparently not, as I ask three or four times, my voice getting louder, angrier, and shriller every time.

Though I’m about a week late to wave my flag, I’ll wave it all year long. I long to be apart of a world that understands that perfect doesn’t exist. Normal doesn’t exist. I’ll wave my flag until mental illness is understood by the masses, and help is accessible to those who choose to reach out. I’ll wave my flag until we question why we were so ignorant to even need a Mental Illness Awareness Day.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

43387
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

27287
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

952211
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

144906
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments