When talking about mental health, some will say that mental illnesses are just some “disability” that people may write off as a way of gaining attention and sympathy, while others will tell you that its something that very much exists and honestly is scary. I have learned that usually the ones who make it seem that its just a figment of someone’s imagination, have never actually experienced anything relating to a mental illness. This being said, how can someone who’s never actually experienced it even remotely judge it? It's like letting someone who has never broken their arm try and tell someone with a broken arm that it really doesn’t hurt or that it's not real and that they should "just get over it." Now you’re thinking, “Why would anyone tell someone with a broken arm that because it's obviously real.” Putting this into a physical perspective, you’re very much right; how could someone question someone else’s injury like that? When it comes to mental health, society does this all the time. If it’s not okay to question something like a broken arm, then why is it okay to question someone’s mental illness?
The argument may be that you cannot physically see it, but this is very much invalid. First of all, let's go back to the broken arm, a hairline fracture for example. On the outside you cannot see it but it is still very much broken or injured. I also believe that you can somewhat see a mental illness. Maybe it's not in plain sight like physical injuries, but if you take the extra time to listen or watch the person, you will learn very quickly that the effects of a mental illness are very noticeable. If someone went to a doctor thinking their arm may be broken, they wouldn't be shunned away because regardless, the doctor will take the time to look further with x-rays. So maybe society should try to do the same with mental health. I mean think about it, someone dealing with depression, some hide it well and can go through their entire day seemingly normal only to fall apart when they get home, and there are others who have it written all over their face. If you take the extra time to listen to them or pay attention, then maybe you will see that the pain they carry is much more than most could bare. Just like the broken arm. Some are plain to see while others take a little bit more time to find. Regardless, that doesn't make either scenario less valid than the other. Throughout life, rarely anything is in plain sight, you almost always have to look deeper. If only society could realize this and look outside of themselves, then maybe we would start sufficiently helping one another. Rather than judging and making it seem like its nothing.
I believe that physical health and mental health are both equally important. Honestly, they go hand in hand. Taking care of yourself is key of course so this means when you’re sick you should go to the doctor and when you’re feeling down you should talk to someone about it. Ending the stigma and inequality of the two completely will probably never happen because there will always be those people who think it’s an urban myth or something. My message to those people is to maybe find some compassion for others and just because it's never happened to you, doesn’t mean it isn't happening to someone else. Just because you can’t imagine dealing with something like this, does not mean that they do not exist. Why not just be kind and understanding? It's not like anyone would choose to feel as they do all of the time, so instead of isolating someone and making them feel terrible for their illness, try reaching out and supporting them. No one deserves to feel alienated. Especially not someone who is already struggling.
