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Reflections on Mental Illness

© Kathy Brewis

I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be a writer much less a writer who writes about mental illness. Heck, I never thought I would have a mental illness. It doesn't bother me anymore when I refer to myself as having a mental illness. Mental illness does not make you a bad person as I once believed. It doesn't mean that you are crazy and that you belong on the funny farm. It simply means that you have an illness that must be treated by a professional. Everyone likes to compare mental illness to diseases such as heart disease or diabetes. They would be correct in doing so. Each of these illnesses requires medical care. This is usually on an on-going basis. Each illness is not something that you need to be ashamed of. Would you be ashamed in having heart disease? No, you wouldn't. Neither should you be ashamed in having a mental illness. Your brain is just like any other part of your body. From time to time it gets ill and it simply needs some form of treatment.

You would think that in these days and times that the stigma attached to having a mental illness would not be there. Despite the fact that the field of psychology has developed over the years, the stigma is still attached to mental illnesses. It seems that it is not as strong. As we hear more and more people, especially celebrities come out and disclose their mental illnesses, the more accepting society becomes. We are still a long way off from where we should be. People still need to be educated on mental illness. Hopefully with more and more people coming forth and telling their story, then this stigma will slowly disappear.

There are many forms of mental illness. Here is a partial listing of them:

• Schizophrenia
• Major Depressive Disorder
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Panic Disorders
• Anxiety Disorders
• Autism
• Borderline Personality Disorder

With each of these illnesses there is a degree of severity that comes with the illness. In other words, you and a friend may both may have a depressive disorder but each of you may have a different level of severity. As I continue to write these articles I will discuss the many forms of depression.

Mental illnesses affect a person's thinking, feelings, moods and their ability to cope with the demands of life. A lot of times people say to those with a mental illness that things will get better or you are just having a bad day. Mental illnesses go beyond "having a bad day". It goes beyond what you are capable to do. That is why it requires professional help.