What if I told you that I had a cold and was feeling exhausted, couldn't focus, and was really irritable? That I'm taking medication to help me deal with it? How about if I took a day or two off from work to hopefully feel better?
Would you judge me?
What if I told you that I had depression and was feeling exhausted, couldn't focus, and was really irritable? That I'm taking medication to help me deal with it? How about if I took a day or two off from work to hopefully feel better?
Would you judge me?
Stigma is the stumbling block that trips us up when we try to see mental illness the same way as we see physical illness. I found myself considering how similar some of the feelings associated with a cold are to the feelings associated with depression as I lay in bed yesterday, pretty much incapacitated, but very aware that it was just a cold that was making me feel this way.
If I was experiencing depression, though, I might not understand what was making me feel this way. I might be afraid that I would never feel better. I might worry how to explain to someone at work why I've been absent or not able to complete assignments.
Perhaps I am in a very forgiving workplace, but I found that taking a day off for having a cold was pretty much forgiven. Outing myself as a friend of NyQuil is just fine by most. But, what if, instead, I said something like, "I have depression. I take medication to help me, but sometimes it's just too much. I needed to take a day off - I went to see my psychiatrist and she thinks that if I adjust my medication I will feel better soon enough."
Today is World Suicide Prevention Day, a worldwide effort led by the International Association for Suicide Prevention and World Health Organization to improve education about suicide, decrease stigma and raise awareness of the warning signs of suicide. I'd like to be there for the day that talking about depression and suicide is as easy as talking about having a cold.
I don't mean to trivialize mental illness by comparing it to a cold. I hope, instead, the analogy will draw attention to how little blame we place on people for having physical illnesses and how often we blame people for having mental illnesses. That it's much easier to be honest about physical illness than mental illness. That there are known, reliable treatments for physical illness, but fewer and often less accessible treatments for mental illness. That colds are contagious, but we still are okay with being around people who suffer from them, but mental illnesses are not contagious, and many fear being around people who suffer with them.
Today, if you wish, show your support for World Suicide Prevention Day by:
Updating your Facebook status:
* Today is World Suicide Prevention Day and I'm keeping the warning signs of suicide On My Mind. Show your support for WSPD by updating your status too. Learn more at http://www.facebook.com/itsonmymind.
* Today is World Suicide Prevention Day and I'm keeping (insert name) On My Mind. Join me in remembering and spreading awareness by posting this as your status today. Learn more at http://www.facebook.com/itsonmymind.
Posting your support to Twitter:
*Today is World Suicide Prevention Day and I'm keeping the warning signs on my mind: http://bit.ly/onmymind. RT to show your support.
Most importantly, if you or someone you know needs help immediately, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.
