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A refreshingly honest look at having depression and the stigma that comes with it. “So here I am, talking about it. Stigmatize me, fool.” It really reminded me that it’s okay to talk about these things, as scary as it might seem. There is no shame in having a mental illness, just like there is no shame in having diabetes. Check out this article, it really is awesome.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lauren-kruczyk/stigmatize-me-fool_b_6178830.html
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This is such a great article, the stigma on mental health makes me so angry! We SHOULD be talking about this, because it is a R E A L illness, just like cancer or any other illness. When I was younger and I would get sick, my mother would ask me my symptoms and try and find out what was wrong and how she can make me better so I could go back to school. Headache, stuffy nose, fever, I would say. Just like the flu, there are symptoms for mental illness. In high school I struggled with depression and instead of talking about it my mother would say stop acting like a baby or your life is really not that bad, you have no reason to be upset. Thats like saying why are you having a fever, stop that! The stigma on mental illness is something that needs to be changed. I also understand that things like depression and suicide are tuff subjects to talk about, but so is illness’ such as cancer. But just like the article says people are supportive and there for you, bringing you flowers and balloons and are by your side through it all. I didn’t get any balloons or much support when I was struggling and I’m sure it was the same for you. Constantly when I was “having a bad day” I would just tell people I’m just tired all the time even when I really wasn’t just because I knew they would be judgmental or just wouldn’t understand. Those were the days that I actually made it out of bed and to school. The ones where I was just “too sick” to leave the house. I would have to make up an excuse that is not contagious so I could go back to school the next day without people asking question. I mean what was i supposed to say, “I didn’t go to school today because I was too upset to get out of bed.” People would see that as weak or “childish.” Do you ever feel like this?
I think that our society still struggles with understanding mental illness.Depression can make you physically sick and fatigued. It is NOT A FLAW IN CHARACTER! I think the best solution for this is to find people who can be a support system– who are willing to become educated about Depression and mental illness, who understand what you are going through 🙂