I never realized the extent of mental illness stigma until someone told me “I’m glad I don’t have one like you do.”
I’ve had an anxiety disorder for years now, and it never occurred to me that it is in fact a mental illness because people around me always say how worried or anxious or sad they are. I just thought it was normal – and I believed everyone when they told me that I was fine. That this is normal. That “you don’t have a reason to be anxious or sad” was true so therefore I shouldn’t be as anxious or sad as I actually am.
However, 1 in 5 adults in the United States alone have some form of mental illness. Celebrities and those in the limelight consistently struggle with these bouts, too. No one is immune to the grappling hooks of a disease that can’t be fought alone. This stigma that mental illness is some wretched disease is mind-boggling, especially considering the fact that so many people will experience some facet of it in any given year. Stereotypes and prejudices against mental illness shouldn’t be romanticized. In today’s society, we often see many posts regarding mental illness. All seem to showcase, however, a more romanticized version of what people go through rather than the reality.
It’s not just fear. It’s crippling fear about every little moment or situation. It’s the tears. It’s isolation. It’s the “you have nothing to be sad about so why are you even sad.” It’s not sadness; it’s the chronic, melancholic emptiness in your chest. It’s not “just a phase.” It’s not just something that will magically go away. It’s not something that you can just “get over.” It’s the nights staying up because overthinking is consuming. It’s the war being waged within you and no one knows how hard it is to fight against yourself because they can’t empathize with internal pain.
People actually suffer from mental illnesses and to create this illusion that they are not as bad as they seem is to create the illusion that surrounds the stigma.
Sometimes it doesn’t have roots. Sometimes it flowers so deep within that you can’t even find the source of these problems anymore – and that’s okay. You shouldn’t have to justify your unhappiness or sadness or anxieties or depression. You feel how you feel and no one knows but you. No one determines how you “should” feel so never let anyone tell you otherwise.
It is not selfish or bad or wrong to ask for help. Please, if you need it, never be afraid to call out into the dark. There’s someone waiting. There’s always a light peeking through that will guide you back to where you need to be.
You are not alone. You will never be alone.
If you feel as though you need help locally, the Carruth Center located on the Evansdale campus is a great resource; there are counselors/clinicians there to help. If you need to visit, you can either drop-in during their office hours (M-TH 8:15 am-8 pm and F 8:15 am – 4:45 pm) or call 304-293-4431 to make an appointment.
If you feel suicidal, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255
You are not alone. You will never be alone.
You are more than the stigma surrounding those thirteen letters.