57.7 million people. That amounts just around the entire population of Italy, over double the population of Australia, and about twenty times the population of Jamaica. What does this number stand for? 57.7 million people is the estimated number of people who suffer from mental illness in the United States.

Mental illness is viewed in a disturbingly tainted light in America. We hear the phrase "mental illness" and immediately picture the psychiatric wards and hospitals that we've seen on television shows and movies. The ones where people are bound to hospital beds with leather restraints because they are a danger to themselves and everyone around them. While, yes, there are people with mental illness who must be restrained because of their violent tendencies, that does not represent mental illness as a whole. Mental illness resides in the strongest of people, the weakest of people, the friendliest of people, the rudest of people, the smartest of people, the dumbest of people, the oldest of people, and the youngest of people. Mental illness affects all kinds of people.

Most recently, I've heard people referring to other people showing signs of depression, suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, and anxiety in crushing ways.

"Whack-job". "Psycho". "Crazy". "Faking it". "Obnoxious". "Embarassing".

I took these words to heart. You know why?

My sister has anxiety.... you just called her a "whack-job" because of a chemical imbalance she can't control.

People in my community have committed suicide.... you just said that their death was probably just them "needing attention"

A child that I know has extreme mood swings.... you just called him "bipolar" and "psycho". Thanks for labeling him before he even got the chance to make friends.

Until America changes their view on mental illness as what it is, an illness that needs treating, we will continue to toss these words around like they are nothing. We will continue to stigmatize the people affected by these horrible illness. We will continue them to encourage to hide and repress their feelings by telling them there is nothing wrong with them.

These people are your mothers, your fathers, your sisters, brothers, your teammates, your coaches, your teachers, your bandmates, your boyfriends, your girlfriends, your roommates, your friends.

It's time we start treating them as such.