First, look at cancer. It’s a disease with many faces that can attack anyone from your little cousin to your great-grandmother. It can prevent people from doing “normal things” and can have a huge impact on family members and caretakers.
Then, flash to mental health. It has similar characteristics. So then why is it treated differently?
The difference between the two is that you can see cancer. If it’s in your lungs, it’s hard to breathe. If it’s in your brain, you might suffer from seizures or changes in personality.
However, did you know that people with mental health problems can suffer physical symptoms as well? For example, they can feel sluggish, tired, or have sore muscles when suffering from a mental illness. But people assume that because it can’t be seen, it isn’t real. “It’s all in their minds” they say.
Let’s get one thing straight right now: if you’re suffering from a mental health condition, it’s not you. Simply put, it means that there are some problems with the chemicals in your brain. You can’t wish it away; having a mental health problem is unfortunately with you for life.
I think that this miscommunication is the result of a lack of education in mental health. There’s quite the stigma surrounding mental health. We’re all crazies. It’s our fault. We’re lying. Who wants to find professional help when what you see in the media is all this?
Every person in this world was born just as important. Every person in this world goes through some sort of hardship throughout their lifetime. So, why don’t we treat everyone like their life is just as important as the next person’s?
I’m not saying cancer is less important than mental health. I’m just saying that mental health is JUST AS IMPORTANT to pay attention to as cancer. Of course the pain is different, but it’s just as hard! Mental illness, too can be deadly and a lot of people don’t notice until it’s too late and their loved ones are gone.
So, to all my readers out there, I want everyone to donate here. Imagine what could happen if we all donate just a loonie or a toonie! Share this post with all your friends. Break the stigma and help fund research that will go into finding better ways to deal with mental illness. Help those who are mentally ill feel loved and strong enough to continue on in their lives. Be the change that the field of mental health needs.
And when you see someone with mental health problems suffering, even if they’re annoying or hard to deal with, think twice about making fun of them. Because, really, would you make fun of someone with cancer?