Mental Illness Awareness Week

October 4-10 is Mental Illness Awareness Week and this year’s theme is #IamStigmaFree. From www.nami.org/miaw : “Being Stigma Free means learning about and educating others on mental illness, focusing on connecting with people to see each other as individuals and not a diagnosis, and most importantly, taking action on mental health issues and taking the StigmaFree pledge.”

As someone with a mental illness living a world without stigma is something important to me. I make plans to get my very own semicolon tattoo and am always willing to start a conversation about mental illness. I think we need to talk more. We need to open up and explain and see ourselves as a “teachable moment”, now I understand if you are private person and prefer not to discuss, or think that it is none of someone’s damn business. What I don’t want to see is shame over something that you have no control over. That is part of the conversation too.

              

               The first step in fighting stigma is an open dialogue. We need to talk about it till mental illness becomes as normal as the common cold. We need to let people know that there is nothing to fear. That the people that are experiencing mental illness are not dangerous, in fact people with mental illness are more likely to be the victims of crime than commit them. So we need to end the stereotypes by showing that there is nothing to fear, by showing that we are just like anyone else.

So stand up and say “I have a mental illness and I am proud.” Go out and get that semicolon tattoo. Write your Congressman. Speak up in any way you can. Be an ally for a friend or family member with a mental illness. Just do something to help break the stigma.

Being There

Today is the last day of Suicide Awareness Month, so I thought I would leave on a personal note. Something happened to me last night that inspired this post. I was chatting with a friend on Skype when she casually tells me “see you next time, I’m ODing tonight” to which I responded on “on what?” and she said “Pills and Booze.” At first I thought she was being sarcastic, but a short bit of conversation and I knew she was serious. At that point I switched into Mother Bear mode and was going to protect my cub at all cost. This friend and I have known each other for over 15 years and we have been through a lot together, and honestly I can’t imagine my life without her.

              

               We must have gone back and forth for over 45 minutes arguing about how her life was worth living, but I was going to do anything to prevent her from swallowing those pills. At one point she told me that she “prayed for death” and me, who is usually pretty emotionless felt a sadness that I just can’t relate in words. There is part of me that understands the grip that Mental Illness holds on a person, the thoughts that it makes you think, and the things that just seem like a good idea. So as much as her thoughts saddened me I could understand where she was coming from. In the time that I battled with her demons I was reminded of how I felt during my own attempt.

               My friend also highlights the stigma behind mental illness because she feels sometimes that doesn’t need help and can go it alone. She would probably be very angry at me for sharing this story, but I think that it is one that needs to be told, because it is proof that you can’t go it alone. You need a battle buddy to help you through the rough times, and professional help to get you through the everyday. That when you are in crisis it is okay to reach out for a helping hand. My friend is alive, thanks to passing out before she could swallow the pills, but she is still a stubborn mule who refuses to reach out for the proper help, but I know I will always be there for her.

Private Lives?

Do we have private lives anymore? Do we get the choice of to whom we announce our sexuality? Or should we walk up to people and announce our sexuality the same that we announce our name? The author of this article seems to believe that we should brand ourselves with our sexuality and that we have no right to consider it private. I disagree with this, I think that your sexuality is as private as you choose to make it. I understand that the premise of this article refers to a celebrity, but author extends his views on privacy to everyone.

               I want to start off by saying that I don’t believe that sex or sexuality is taboo, in fact I think it’s something that should be talked about if you’re comfortable with doing so. I don’t believe that we should run up to everyone we meet and announce our sexuality. I believe that we are entitled to have a private life, and our sexuality falls under the purview of private life. There are some people who are happy, and comfortable to wear their sexuality on their sleeve, in some cases quite literally, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m not advocating that we silence those who are comfortable with broadcasting their sexuality. I’m here for the people who want to keep it private, who feel for reasons of their own that they don’t need to broadcast their sexuality to the world. I myself am a moderately private person, I’m out, and have no problem telling someone my sexuality, but I don’t feel the need to make it part of my introduction. If someone misidentifies me I will correct them, and if someone makes an idiotic statement like, “you don’t look gay”, I will use my sexuality as a teachable moment.

               The author of the article feels that refusing to answer a question about sexuality says something about the person, and maybe does. Maybe it says that they don’t feel the need to be defined by their sexuality? Maybe they are somebody who’s questioning and hasn’t quite reached a conclusion yet? Maybe it says they think it’s none of your damn business? See that's the thing about “yammering on” about privacy, it’s not about teachable moments, shying away from being honest about who you are, or feeling that you’re keeping a secret about something that’s shameful. No sometimes privacy comes down to just something being your business and not somebody else’s. We can have pride and still be private.