You Are Wrong For Having A Mental Disorder | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

You Are Wrong For Having A Mental Disorder

I mean, it's all in your head, right?

22
You Are Wrong For Having A Mental Disorder
Chester Bennington

The Problem


One of the biggest topics in America right now is mental illness. More specifically, suicide. Even though the two are not completely related, the two are usually seen hand in hand. Anxiety, depression, bipolar, and all other mental illnesses alike are constantly increasing in America, but when do you usually find out that someone is suffering from it?

That’s right. When it is too late.

When you know someone who has committed suicide or attempted, you usually ask yourself what you could have done differently to change the outcome. One thing I have an inside look on is why people with mental illness do not come out about it sooner.

My husband, of three years, suffers from a severe Bipolar disorder. I say suffers from in a grave sense. He has had suicidal thoughts, I have been woken up several times from his screams of night terrors, he has panic attacks often, and when he is through his depressive state, he locks himself in our room for days at a time. It is hard seeing someone you love fight through this every single day. No one, not even me, knows what he goes through unless they suffer from it themselves.

Yet, when he has to take off work to get himself through one of his horrible phases, he is looked down on. His friends make him feel bad about it, to the point he pushes everyone away now because he is afraid of being judged. He has to jump through hoops to be approved to have that time off UNPAID. One time, he heard someone from his team ask behind his back “is he a freak?”, and heard his boss make a comment about him coming to work and killing everyone. This is the behavior people condone towards mentally ill people.

Sometimes people do not realize what kind of behaviors someone with a mental disorder will show. So instead, they think that person is weird or a freak, and treat that person as such. Which then makes that person's condition even worst. Then when that person has been pushed to the point where they would choose to take their own lives than live with the torment, everyone turns a blind eye to what could have caused it to happen.

The Solution


So what do I suggest? Before I met my husband, I knew zero about mental disorders. Even though I went through one myself. My lack of knowledge made me think the same way others do now. That that person is acting weird, different, out of place, and sometimes blaming that person for being attention hungry. Until I researched, and found out more about mental illness, I had no idea what any of the signs were.

My first step in the solution process is to educate ourselves. When someone is acting strange, or out of place, pause. Then take a step back and assess the situation. What is causing this person to behave this way? Why are they acting like this? How do they normally act? Look for the signs.

One of my favorite sites to read on is: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/recognizing-war...

Yet, a good old-fashioned Google search will pull up lots of articles and web pages to read up on as well.

Even if you do not educate yourself on the topic, just treat people with love. Keep love in your heart and make every action you do have good intentions. Don’t make fun of someone you don’t know, or say something you think is just playing around, because you never know how that person will react. A common action I see, is when people get overwhelmed, irritated, down, or upset about someone making fun of them, people usually will convict the person being picked on! They will call them sensitive or other inappropriate names that say that person has no reason to feel that way.

If you see someone becoming upset or change their mood by what you are saying, BACK OFF. If you persist; you’re a bully. No one likes a bully. If you see someone else making someone feel that way, step in. That act of kindness can be the saving grace that person needs to not feel so alone.

One of the reasons my mental illness continued and got worst the longer I had it, was because no one noticed. I pushed my friends away, and they didn’t mind. I started binge eating, and everyone made fun of me for eating so much. I would tell self-insecure jokes to hide how I felt, and people would agree. I stopped caring so much about my appearance, and was told I was becoming lazy. It started getting to where I sheltered myself, and would be down. I sometimes would just hold my head for several moments, or just block myself from the world for several weeks, and no one noticed, or cared enough to reach out. If one person would have cared, I think I could have made it out a lot sooner.

If you notice someone not acting like themselves, changing the way they dress, or talk, having a darker humor, distancing themselves, reach out to them. Ask them if they are okay, but mean it. Genuinely care for one another. If more love, care, compassion, empathy, generosity, and joy was spread through each other, the rates for all of these diseases would decline.

The Conclusion


When will we open our eyes? How many more people will have to believe in only one way out before we open up another door for them? Please, take these words to heart, and help spread the awareness to others. If you or someone you know suffers from a mental illness, or just need someone to reach out to you, message or comment, and I will be more than happy to talk to you! If you would like to talk to someone about anything, and would like to remain anonymous, my favorite website is www.blahtherapy.com Share this article to spread the word! Maybe we could make a difference sooner rather than later.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Lifestyle

11 Things Summer Nannies Can Relate To

There are plenty of obstacles that come when taking care of kids, but it's a very rewarding experience.

511
kids in pool

As a college student, being a nanny over the summer is both enjoyable and challenging. Underneath the seemingly perfect trips to the pool or countless hours spent playing Monopoly are the obstacles that only nannies will understand. Trading in your valuable summer vacation in return for three months spent with a few children less than half your age may seem unappealing, but so many moments make it rewarding. For my fellow summer nannies out there, I know you can relate.

Keep Reading...Show less
girl thinking
thoughtcatalog.com

There are a lot of really easy, common names in the U.S. and while many of those simple names have different spellings, most of the time, pronunciation is not an issue that those people need to worry about. However, others are not as fortunate and often times give up on corrections after a while. We usually give an A+ for effort. So, as you could probably imagine, there are a few struggles with having a name that isn’t technically English. Here are just a few…

Keep Reading...Show less
Daydreaming

day·dream (ˈdāˌdrēm/): a series of pleasant thoughts that distract one's attention from the present.

Daydreams, the savior of our life in class. Every type of student in the classroom does it at least once, but most cases it is an everyday event, especially in that boring class -- you know the one. But what are we thinking while we are daydreaming?

Keep Reading...Show less
Jessica Pinero
Jessica Pinero

Puerto Ricans. They are very proud people and whether they were born on the island or born in the United States by Puerto Rican parent(s). It gets even better when they meet another fellow Puerto Rican or Latino in general. You’ll know quickly if they are Puerto Rican whether the flag is printed somewhere on their person or whether they tell you or whether the famous phrase “wepa!” is said.

Keep Reading...Show less
girl

If it hurts now, it'll hurt again. Not because you're gullible or naive, only because you fall fast, hard, and you do it every time.

We fall each and every time with the complete and utter confidence that someone will be there to catch us. Now that person we SWORE we were never going to fall for has our hearts, and every time we see them our palms start sweating. The butterflies in our stomach start to soar and our hearts are entirely too close to bursting out of our chests.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments