Mental illness: any psychiatric disorder that causes untypical behavior
Suicide: the action of killing oneself intentionally
These two words have been used together an overwhelming and uncomfortable amount recently, but yet nobody wants to actually talk about it. It’s about time we start speaking up about it.
“God, my teacher is so bipolar, I hate that bitch.”
“I’m so depressed my new iphone doesn’t come in til next week.”
“Ugh I didn’t get any sleep last night; i hate being an insomniac.”
“Frick! I just ate so much food I think I have an eating disorder”
“I can’t stand when my books aren’t all together, my OCD is so bad”
If you don’t actually suffer from any of these disorders, first, consider yourself lucky. Then, stop using these words to describe yourself in a joking manor. It’s estimated that one in four adults in the United States suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder.. it's a serious matter.
“I don’t get why they committed suicide, they were always smiling and so happy.” This is the problem that we, as a society, have. We can’t physically see people struggling, so we assume there isn't a problem. Although it may not be something that needs a cast like a broken bone, mental health is an issue that needs mending or fixing. Just like you go to the doctor for a broken bone, people need to go to the doctor to get fixed. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
Imagine these two scenarios:
I walk into the doctor's office and say “I fell a few days ago, and my arm is still swollen, has been hurting, and I’m not sure what is going on”
I walk into the doctor’s office and say “I’ve had a lot going on my mind recently, and I just haven't been myself lately, and I’m not sure what is going on.”
Now, what is the difference between these two scenarios? The answer to this is the way society is going to respond these two issues. Is society going to look at the person with a broken leg and be scared to ask what happened? Are they going to pretend that they have this terrible disease and they don’t wanna talk about it? Are they going to want to avoid any confrontation with this person about what happened? Are they going to treat this person like they are wrong for having a broken leg? Are they going to treat them like they’re some sort of outcast for having a broken leg?
No, and here's where our problem lies; mental illness (if it’s talked about) is treated completely different. Yes, one of these is a physical problem and the other is an emotional problem, but, regardless of what it is they should still be treated the same. Society puts such a negative stigma with mental health, when it should not be treated any different than a broken bone. They both need attention to their problems, and they both need to be recognized.
Until we talk openly about mental health like we do a broken bone, nothing will help to end the stigma. So next time you “jokingly” use the term, ‘kill yourself’, think first, and don't.
