Thoughts on Mental Health Thursday
Every week on my social media accounts, I post something about how I know the stigma around mental health issues is bs. I always start the post saying it’s bs and I end by saying “f*** the stigma”. And I truly mean that. So far I’ve posted videos about how I have a stable job and animals that trust me to care for them, even though the stigma says I shouldn’t be capable of that. I’ve also posted about the degrees I have and the professional educator licenses I have, to include passing scores on the two standardized tests I had to take in order to get my teaching license. Some of that was done throughout the worst part of my mental illness. Again, the stigma says I can’t do those things.
I posted about the joke someone in upper admin at my old job made about everyone needing shock therapy. I’ve had shock therapy. They don’t know that. And what would their reaction be if they knew? The stigma is what led to her making that joke. According to the stigma, shock therapy is reserved for people who are truly “crazy”.
This week, I shared a video about how the stigma is felt in every person with a mental health issue. As evidenced by how self-conscious I felt walking into the building where my psychiatrist and therapist used to be. The entrance faced a busy street not far from the school where I taught. What if one of the parents saw me walking in there? What would they think of me? Me and my ability to teach their children? If I feel that way…someone who is in a good place mentally. Someone very stable in her treatment. What would someone feel like who is seeking help for the first time?
I’ve gotten a fairly good response to those videos and that makes me feel good about what I’m trying to do. I think I’ve decided that I’m going to go back to my original plan for my book. Focusing heavily on my journals and my own story. It’s clear that I will not be raising children in this life. I won’t have anybody to pass my journals onto. I don’t want them and my story to die with me. I’ve said so often that people need to know what it’s like having a mental illness and they need to know that the stigma is real, and as I’ve said in all my videos, it is 100% bullshit and it needs to end.
Want to help me accomplish my dream of being a paid writer? Buy me a coffee!
Leave a Reply