Recently, when the YMCA here in Bernards Township hosted its Mental Health Awareness Week, I was asked if I wanted to share some of my thoughts on this topic through this forum.  So far, I haven’t done so, but I’ll start today.

It is slightly difficult for me to know where to begin because of the stigma associated with mental illness.  But, really is any illness something you wish for or can even control?  Just as with other illnesses, with mental illness there is often a biological root which cannot be avoided.  We have compassion on those with cancer, but somehow mental illness is a taboo subject.  In my opinion, this should not be the case.

So, I guess I’ll start with honesty, because without honesty, I don’t think we can move forward as a society on this issue.  I am someone who has struggled and is struggling with a mental illness.  For a long time, I thought it was something I had done wrong, something I could fix on my own.  It’s not.  My illness has its root in my biological makeup and I need medication to function in society.  Does that mean the stigma is gone?  Nope.  There is a certain level of vulnerability that comes even with posting this.  I can’t control what people think or say about me.  But again, just as with cancer, it’s not really something I have any control over.

My motive for even posting is that perhaps you too are struggling.  It could be depression or anxiety, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, anything really.  I want you to know there are other people out there.  People willing to take the illness on and ride it out.  There are ups and downs.  I don’t always have a great day.  But with the help of medication, I can generally function.

Dealing with mental illness does mean you have to be willing to acknowledge something is wrong.  This can be hard because of the stigma and lack of awareness associated with mental illness.  It’s interesting that people often care more for the body than the mind.  If you notice something wrong with your body, you get it checked out.  If you notice you’re feeling down all the time, or are having panic attacks, you may not. I would encourage you to find help for these issues because getting help for your mind is just as important as getting help for your body.

May I post a hypothesis?  I think we’re afraid.  Afraid of being found lacking.  Our society pushes us to be perfect.  We’re afraid that somehow we’re not the supermen we pretend to be when we have a problem.  I’ll be the first to confess I’m not a superwoman.  I’ve tried it, and it’s not all it pretends to be.

I’ll end this with a plea.  Please, if you think you might be struggling with a mental illness seek out help.  You may be surprised in finding more compassion than you anticipated.  I did.