Last Updated on: 31st January 2018, 08:50 am
It’s too bad we need a specific day to remind us of what Gill is saying here. Every day is a good day to speak up if you need help or to help those in need, regardless of whether or not Bell is donating money to causes every time somebody uses a hashtag.
We all have, but sometimes don’t wish to admit, to having assumptions about people, but the truth is you really don’t know. Although there is more information and people are much more understanding there is still a very big stigma attached to mental illness.
In The Books
For this example we need to travel back in time to the 19th century. A book called Jane Eyre made mention of the First Mrs. Rochester as being “mad` was kept in the attic looked after only by a servant until she burned the house down subsequently killing herself in the process. Though this was a work of fiction it did detail the little known and even less discussed issue of mental illness.
My Own Thoughts and assumptions
Like many uninformed people I had my own thoughts of what and who mental illness was. When on December 17th 2003 I was given a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, I thought the doctors were messing with me. My image of the mentally ill was the guy who stabbed his neighbor to death because the voices told him, or the woman who went from foster home to foster home as a child, and now cut words in to her skin. I soon recognized that mental illness is color blind, doesn’t care what class your from, or who you are.
Step Out!
I encourage you to not hide away, or avoid getting the help you need. If you suspect someone you know has something going on, ask, and be that friend.
Gillie reminding you that if you have a mental illness your not alone.