Mental Illness - Reducing the Stigma
Stigma — a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.
- If your Lungs can suffer from illnesses like Asthma or COPD,
- If your Heart can struggle with Atrial Fibrillation, Heart Failure, or Hypertension,
- If the Pancreas, can stop making insulin, one of its primary functions, resulting in Diabetes and risk for other serious health problems
- If your Joints can be affected by Arthritis, which can cause disfigurement, pain and limit movement
- If your Skin can bear conditions like Eczema or Psoriasis
- If even the Cells in your body can start multiplying abnormally and result in Cancer.
"If every other organ can have a disease, don't you think, it's also possible for your Brain to suffer from illness. So why do you tell me that I am possessed or filled with demonic forces? It's bad enough that I have to deal with it, you are only making it worse!"
My friend and her sister have asthma real bad. They have to take a medicine every day to try to keep them from having an asthma attack. The school nurse has to keep an inhaler for them because sometimes in gym class if they play too hard or if they get upset or something they might have an asthma attack.
Just like with other health issues, mental illness has a genetic component - it tends to run in families, have different severity levels, and environmental stressors can trigger or worsen symptoms.
You make your husband take his blood pressure medication everyday even though we all pray he never has another stroke. You take your children to the doctor when you suspect something like pink eye and give them the prescribed antibiotics. You watch what you eat and make sure you take my diabetes medicine every day because your sister had to get 2 of her toes amputated due to a sore that never healed.
So why is the answer to my depression "You need to go to church, fast and pray"
I cannot get those bad thoughts out of my head. It's not like I don't love my family. It's just that the alcohol is the only thing that helps me forget and at least when I am drinking, I don't remember all those bad things. I can't handle it, it's just too much for me to live with and I have to drink just to make it through the day.
Untreated mental illness is one of the biggest risk factors for alcoholism and substance use.
Mental illness deserves the same compassion, support, and treatment as any other health condition.
When left untreated, mental illness can interfere with one’s ability to care for themselves, manage personal responsibilities, maintain employment or succeed in school—and most importantly, it can prevent individuals from reaching their fullest potential.
Your attitude and words matter. They can either contribute to feelings of shame, guilt, and hopelessness—or they can be a lifeline. With empathy and understanding, your words have the power to encourage someone to seek care, reduce risk, and begin their journey toward healing.