Talking about mental illness helps fight stigma
2
Category: Mental Health
Date: 08 Sep 2015
Created By : SameerOhri1
When I was a teenager I had a painful hip condition, which had me wheelchair bound for a couple of years: no-one said that "I had surely had enough (physio)therapy by now", "was I sure that taking medication was the best option?", that "it would be better if I didn’t mention it", that I was a "drain on the health services". Yet, somehow, when you are suffering from mental illness such comments seem to come with the territory.
When I was accessing mental health services when I was growing up, my brother didn’t even know about it - it was all kept very secret. It has taken me a long time to open up about my mental health issues and to be honest with those around me, even with close friends. One of my housemates found out I had mental health problems when I was referred to a crisis team and nurses started coming to the house. I couldn’t hide it anymore and, actually, instead of judgment and rejection I found support and acceptance – I was still the friend I had always been. That experience helped me to talk to other friends about what I was going through; I realized I didn’t have to share my whole psychiatric history with them, but it was still helpful to say “I’ve been struggling a bit lately and have been getting some support through mental health services”.
For me sometimes it’s a cup of tea, or a hug, a text to see how I am
That said, talking hasn’t always been easy; it was sometimes awkward when people first found out, they didn’t really know what to say and neither did I. There was a temptation to try to make it easier for them but you just can’t. Some people drifted away because they didn’t know what to say, or because we couldn’t do the things we used to do together or because I’d cancelled once too often. Some people tried to wrap me in cotton wool, like I was made of glass and in danger of smashing, but I felt more in danger of suffocating. The people that did stick around though, even though I know they care about me, sometimes it's hard not to feel like a burden on them. However many supportive friends or family you have or don’t have there is an element to which they just don’t get it and you can’t explain. Battling a mental health condition can be devastatingly lonely – to some extent it will always be you battling your own brain, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things that other people can do that can help. For me sometimes it’s a cup of tea, or a hug, a text to see how I am or a meal together, sometimes it’s a listening ear, reassurance over whether what my brain is telling me is really true or not or encouragement to share something with a professional.
I think it helps those who have been there, or are there now, to know that they are not alone
Even though talking about mental illness can be difficult it does help fight the stigma. I think it helps those who have been there, or are there now, to know that they are not alone, and it helps those who would judge to know that it can happen to anyone, that no one is immune.
