Society. It seems as if we are controlled by all the societal expectations. Look like this, where that, talk like this, all of these societal expectations begin shaping us. Then we become manifestations of these rules. Now along with society comes another “S” word, stigma. Dictionary.com defines stigma as a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. The circumstance in this situation is none other than society. One stigma that has made its way up the ladder in becoming the most talked about stigma is mental illness. If you Google examples of what a stigma is, mental illness will continuously pop up. A mental illness is defined as any of various disorders characterized chiefly by abnormal behavior or an inability to function socially, including diseases of the mind and personality and certain diseases of the brain. So why do we follow the stigma of shaming people that have these qualities? It’s because we are taught to, we are taught to fear the unknown. Someone with a mental illness is difficult to understand, difficult to control, difficult to predict, so it is difficult for society to accept. Homosexuality is still considered a social stigma, however it is slowly decreasing, while mental illness is increasing, but this time it’s being associated with causing harm to others. But maybe that occurs because people are afraid of themselves, they are afraid to get help, they are afraid because of this stigma that is associated with who they are as a person. The more we shame mental illness, the more people with these disorders become shameful. The less likely they will get help and the more dangerous they become to others as well as themselves.
Suicide has become the 10th leading cause of death; this is behind car accidents, heart disease and other uncontrollable incidents. Suicide is voluntary, but the emotions leading up to it, aren’t. So instead of shaming mental illnesses, why don’t we try to understand it? Below is a list of common mental illnesses, some including quotes from people at our very own school diagnosed with these illnesses!
Depression:
Depression is an adjective that people use often to describe being sad; however the condition itself is nothing like that. It doesn’t necessary apply to quiet, lethargic people, but also the most outgoing and energetic people like the famous Robin Williams. The symptoms of depression do not only include being tired all the time, gaining or losing weight, but it has a lot more serious symptoms. Examples being: Loss in life pleasure (You just can’t enjoy events, even if you like being at them), hopelessness (Nothing good will ever come to you), being empty (you’re always missing something), feeling guilt or worthlessness (you are always the one messing up, and people don’t deserve to have you in their lives), difficulty making decisions and concentrating (you are always afraid of the outcome, and you don’t want to disappoint), irrational thoughts (jumping to conclusions, thinking someone did something intently to hurt you), having negative thoughts affect you physically (getting more headaches, cramps, digestive problems, feeling physical pain everywhere, inability to get up, feeling of being in a coma). Depression leads to physical distress, it also has “episodes” when there are periods of feeling horrible with no initial cause. Sometimes there may be triggers, other times, your mood just drops. When asked about their depression, a UCSD student said, “Sometimes it feels like I’m alone, even though I know I have people. I just feel like I’m a burden and they would be better off without me, even though I love them incredibly. I just feel like if I tell people what’s wrong, they’ll leave. But I want people to understand, I want people to reach out, I want to feel loved. I can isolate myself during an episode, but I can’t control it, and I want that to be known. I know people don’t understand all the time, and it’s okay if they don’t, I just want them to try to and offer to be there, even when I don’t ask.” Depression can be caused by an event, or it can be genetic, regardless, just like someone can’t control the getting type one diabetes, they can’t control depression, but they can get help.
ADHD/ADD:
Adderall is one of the most known drugs among college students. Adderall is supposed to make one excessively focus, but what if this person is actually prescribed this drug? ADHD/ADD consists of running thoughts, going from one place to another mentally, unable to stand still, failing to give close attention, avoiding tasks that require mental effort because it’s too difficult, really easily distracted and unorganized. It’s like trying to make a puzzle, the picture on the box is how most people see the puzzle, but the pieces being scattered around is how this mental illness feels. “I have ADHD” oils a phrase used when people become distracted, but that’s not the only determinant. Everyone gets distracted, when someone with this illness gets distracted; it’s hard for them to jump back. They’re initial thought hides and they try really hard trying to remember, it’s frustrating. “I always feel as if I’m behind on my work, that whatever I do, I can’t accomplish as much as other people. I get mad at myself a lot because I hate how my thoughts jump around and sometimes when I’m in a place full of people, I can’t keep my thoughts aligned. Honestly, Adderall does help me, but not the way it allows others to pay attention, the drug tries to make my attention span normal. It’s scary, especially at a competitive school like UCSD, I feel as if I will never be able to catch up or be good enough.”
Anxiety:
Imagine thoughts rushing through your head at an uncontrollable rate. Imagine having your own mentality attack all your decisions and moves, telling you that what you did was wrong at every moment. This can happen at any time, whether it is freaking out during a test, or right after socializing with someone, or right before meeting people. Anxiety is a word that is used loosely because people don’t think much of it. But the truth is, anxiety itself is like the monster under your bed, except this one is real. A UCSD student with anxiety expressed her emotions about her disorder. “When I am going through a period of anxiety or when I am having a panic attack or on the verge of having a panic attack, my biggest thought is always whether I will have to struggle with this demon my entire life – and if so, that sounds like an incredibly long and painful life that I’m not sure is worth living. So at times it makes me really question my will to go on and how I will ever have normal relationships with my family or friends in the future. I often feel very helpless because some days the anxiety is much stronger than I am and there is nothing I can do to physically keep it from happening.” Anxiety takes control, it’s like being afraid of roller coasters and going on one blindfolded. Symptoms include: shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, inability to be still and calm, nausea, excessive worry, irrational fears, and much more. It makes one rethink all their actions, anxiety is a monster.
OCD:
Repetition itself can be a normal aspect in life, but not when one thinks that if that one doesn’t accomplish an act, negativity will occur in their lives or in a loved one lives. The acts of OCD are usually associated in continuously turning a light switch on or off, or resistively washing ones hands. But the reasoning behind why people feel the need to do this seems to be less known. Obsessive compulsive disorder occurs because of fear. Whether it is fear of dirt contamination by germs, or fear of making a mistake or fear of thinking evil and sinful thoughts or needing order and symmetry to an unreasonable extent because you fear it will affect the pattern, fear of embarrassment, the list goes on. Therefore people with this disorder repeat actions constantly, or they do things in specific orders. This can include repeating words, constantly arranging in a specific order, refusing to touch others, repeatedly washing or hoarding items. OCD is uncountable and it can either be biological or caused by environmental factors. “I feel like, if I don’t wash my hands correctly, then it is still dirty, still infested with germs. Also if I touch something with my wet hands, then the germ travels back and I need to wash my hands again, I also air dry, because I feel as if the paper towels or heating devices have too many germs.” There are irrational thoughts that come with this disorder, however although they can be conceived as irrational there is still a voice forcing the person to still complete the action or else they won’t be satisfied.
Bipolar:
Being sad one day and happy the next is okay, but imagine having periods of time when you feel so confident and feel as if you can do anything. Whether it’s thinking you can jump from a 10 story building and land in a pool, or start fights. Then suddenly, you have these moments of not wanting to go anywhere, feeling like you can’t do anything right, that you’re hopeless and no one likes you, this is being bipolar. Bipolar is used a lot as in passing, for example “this weather is bipolar”, or “She’s so bipolar on her period.” People can have mood changes and hormonal changes, but that doesn’t mean one is bipolar, for a word used so casually, the disorder is much more than something casual! A person with bipolar disorder goes through mood changes, either a depressive episodic period or a manic period. “Every day can be different, but it usually stays constant for a while. Personally, I’m really affected by the seasons. But I have gotten myself into trouble during my manic episodes and have been lifeless during my depressive episodes.” There is a lack of consistency with this Illness, whether it’s energy, motivation, sleep, confidence or anything else. This is mostly a genetic illness and it has to do with the brain not functioning correctly, therefore medication is prescribed to try and stabilize.
Panic Disorder:
Imagine standing in line at a grocery store, then for no reason your heart starts pounding, you feel like you can’t breathe, you get all sweaty and you feel like fainting. Panic attack. Panic attacks can be random or triggered, but it is constantly inside one’s head “am I going to have an attack in public today?” This can then cause people to be afraid of going out and undergoing normal activities. The unpredictable aspect alone increases fear like no other. People can have one panic attack and be fine, but it becomes a disorder when it becomes constant. So what does a panic attack feel like? They can range from shortness of breath, to shaking, to hyperventilating, lightheaded, numbness, nausea, sweating, feeling detached, racing heart or just chest discomfort. “I get attacks at random times, and that’s scary. I could be triggered by something and I will understand why. But when it happens randomly, I get scared and frustrated and so helpless. It’s as if my body and mind are on different pages.” Panic is normal, but people with panic syndromes aren’t speaking attention, if anything they want the opposite. Each person is different in regards to what they need or want, but every day is a wonder – imagine that struggle.
Insomnia:
Everyone has one of those nights, tossing and turning constantly. When people have something on their mind, it seems as if it can never leave their thoughts. Insomnia is like that, but a much worse version of it. You stay awake during the night no matter how much you try to sleep. No matter how long you close your eyes for, it’s like you’re on a treadmill and it never stops, until finally you sleep, but soon you’re awake. Sleep is important; lack of sleep deprives one. Insomnia slowly begins harming, like a silent killer until one just can’t handle the deprivation anymore. “When I sleep, it’s shocking. I wake up and I can’t imagine that hour went by. But every day I wake up. I’m tired, it’s like my body is dragging the rest of me. Caffeine has no affect anymore; it’s as if I’m always dead.” Insomnia can be triggered by significant life stress, emotional or physical discomfort. This then leads to general tiredness, irritability, and problems concentrating. Insomnia can be brought on by other mental illness like depression or anxiety. Insomnia is soul sucking, it’s like you’re sleep walking the whole time, and everything is moving so fast around you. It isn’t just a one day thing, insomnia is constant and it can seem never ending.
Eating Disorders:
Yes, eating disorders is considered a mental illness; no it is not so that others will think someone is pretty. Eating disorders don’t necessarily have to do with others perceptions of the individual, but it has to do with anxiety, self-esteem and emotional struggles due to the environment and just biologically. There are many forms of eating disorders: Binge eating (eating an excessive amount of food), Bulimia Nervosa (consuming a lot then going through an activity to prevent weight gain such as excessive exercise, vomiting or using laxatives), Anorexia Nervosa (consuming little to no food). “It feels like there is a voice going through my head that says I don’t deserve to eat, that I’m already too fat and ugly and I shouldn’t make myself worse. So once I eat something I consider “bad”, I keep going. I can’t stop, it’s comforting but I have no control. Then suddenly, it hits me, the guilt. All these negative thoughts about me circle and I regret ever even eating, then I remove the food from my system. I know Photoshop exists, and media can be fake, but I think the worse thing is seeing so many people around me that are normal but perfect, and I never think I can live up to anyone’s expectations.” Guilt, the number one word that drives these conditions. It’s uncontrollable, and no matter how thin someone is or how comforting food is at the moment, it’s still unsatisfying, so the cycle continues. They don’t share their issues, but instead go about it in secret, because of judgment. It is anxiety on its own, and can be harmful in the future, but that isn’t seen as important. Impulse, the now. People see weight as controllable, and because of societal acceptance and perceptions, it is the only thing one can be proud of, well so some think. But it becomes emotionally and physically suffocating.
A lot of mental illnesses may overlap, it can become the domino effect, once you have one, and you’re prone to others. But help is there; if you or anyone you know has a mental illness, please take the steps of treatment and please be open to ask for help or to comfort. Sometimes people know they’re being irrational, or that it is their mental illness causing these symptoms but they still can’t control it. Ask questions, the best way to get answers! Anyone can have a mental illness and hopefully through time more people will be comfortable with expressing it. Seeking help is important, and honestly anyone can use some therapy, mental illness or not. Life is difficult, having a stigma make it more difficult for certain people. Let’s try and make life a little easier!
*Editor’s note: If you are suffering from a mental illness, Student Health Services provided Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for UCSD students!