What is it about mental health that makes it such a mystery? Maybe because you can’t take a simple blood test, an ex-ray or a more elaborate type of test to find it. A person with Bipolar Disorder for example in many cases will make a million mistakes that could possibly lead to disasterous consequences before the diagnosis is even considered. I really believe that each of us carry a certain piece of mental illness, only certain things may trigger them. Be it anxiety, depression or mania some of us take that piece of illness and deal with it differently making us more “normal”. I am intentionally glazing past the science behind it all; the seratonin levels and the ability to create enough endorphins to control your moods and the like. Because I do believe that Mental Illness is real, but real in a sense where we as a human race need to acknowledge it more within each of us. As normal as you may think you are, you haven’t been diagnosed with “it” because you have managed to maintain your reactions to your ups and downs, bouts with anxiousness and compulsiveness. Us “normal” people aren’t any more normal than the person standing next to you taking meds for depression, bipolar or anxiety…we need to get over ourselves. Some folks get deeper feelings of hoplessness and defeat and this could be any one of us; if not today another time in our lives when we have faced things we have not faced before. We should all admire the level of of bravery that a person has when they look at themselves and admit they have trouble dealing with these pieces of mental well being. Our society still, after years of research to prove “it” exists, continues to attach stigma to people with mental illness. Once again, we have to get over it. “It” is there and it can happen to anyone. Know “it” is there and it has to be dealt with so we can all live happy, productive lives.
For my first blog topic, I chose this one as it has moved me in my lifetime. I wish to say to any of you that live with or have loved ones with mental illness that you are admired for your bravery and grace. The labels will fall away one day as long as we continue to acknowledge “it”.
The Big Picture 