In which I rant about mental health and stuff.
10:00this may end up being a long ranty post. don't tell me you weren't worn.
There is nothing I hate more than when a person dies and you learn something about them and suddenly want to help. That or tell them that they should have just 'toughened up and got on with it'.
20% of the population of New Zealand are said to have experienced a mental disorder. Yet only 39% of those people visited a health provider for help.
Why is there such a stigma, worldwide, about mental health problems? Someone you know, or even a random stranger nearby you may have an issue. But look at them. Do they look ill? Or that they're struggling from internal demons? Why is the general consensus that if there's something wrong, they should be able to ask for help themselves? Not everyone is strong enough to be able to tell someone what's wrong. The negativity in the world and the stigma someone gains as well as a diagnosis will surely scare some people away from ever getting help.
And when hearing about Robin Williams death, and all these peoples first comments were 'why wasn't he happy?', 'he should have just got over it' and 'what a selfish thing to do [about suicide], I kinda sunk back in my seat in a bit of disbelief. Why are people shocked that a well known person has a mental disease. The moment someone gains money and fame, they're suddenly immune to something that affects anybody. Why are diseases of the brain 10 times more shocking and worry some than a disease that affects your heart? Or your liver? Or any other part of the body?
My most favourite-est person in the whole entire world is Demi Lovato. And I don't know how anyone, in some way, can't find a slither of inspiration from her story. She suffered from undiagnosed mental illness' for years before accepting the help she needed and going to rehab, she's come back with an amazing career and attitude to life. So many young girls and guys have such a postive story and person to look up to. Demi has helped reduce the idea of a stigma one young person at a time.
Yet one person isn't going to change the world. Unfortunately.
I feel like I should end this here before I write twice the length and just keep complaining. Something, it turns out, I rather enjoy.
4 comments
I have mental illness - depression and anxiety, and I hate talking about it, because people say such stupid things. Like go for a walk you'll cheer up, tell me to turn to jesus, all sorts of things. I want to be 'out' about it, to show that people with these problems are normal too, but at the same time I can't handle it.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the moment I (or you) will be open to talk about personal experience they'll just be 1000 questions that I won't want to answer, or useless pieces of advice from people who don't know anything.
DeleteI *love* this. What an eloquent rant! You had me nodding my head in agreement the entire time.
ReplyDeleteThank you :) I'm glad it's eloquent - I sat and wrote it in an almost for of rage.
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