During a recent conversation I was trying to explain about suicide. The other person just could not understand why someone would want to end their life. I told them that not understand was a good thing. That implied they had not felt that depth of pain. People who are suicidal feel there is no way out of the pain other than not existing. Mental illness is like that-others just can’t understand.
I believe the stigma of mental illness is perpetuated by the fact that other just do not understand mental illness and that scares them. People who have the burden of mental illness also have to deal with the reactions of others. As a result they rarely speak about it and that keeps the illness hidden. But when you consider someone who has a physical illness, we don’t shy away from speaking about it and offering support.
I would like to challenge everyone to have compassion. Mental illness is not a choice. It is not a life goal. It is a disease. Those who struggle and suffer from mental illness deserve our respect, patience and caring compassion. You might not be able to understand their symptoms but that does not make them any less real or challenging.
September is Suicide Awareness Month. Suicide has touched my family. I did not want to know and understand suicide but I have had to learn about it. Now I try to share with others and try to offer hope. Ultimately if we can spread awareness and diminish the stigma of mental illnesses, we will create a more hopeful community.
May your path allow you to see mental illness as serious as physical illness.