Mental Health

Adeptly_Inept

19, clumsy & shy
Why is it considered a taboo subject? :confused:

I am aware that our general understanding of mental health has improved considerably over the years, however it is still something that is treated with some ignorance. It is often dismissed as being insignificant and petty, although attitudes towards mental health/mental health issues may depend upon culture.

From my experience, it appears that members of the community pride themselves on exhibiting a certain stoicism. If you were approached by someone who asked "How are you?" you would be inclined to say "Great, thanks.". Regardless of how horrendous you feel. Any public display of emotion is considered odd or disruptive.

Also, people often attribute mental health difficulties to psychotic illnesses such as Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder, which are surrounded by stigma. Issues such as depression, anxiety etc are rarely considered by the general population as being serious.
There's this "Ahhh, c'mon get over it" attitude "it could be worse ... at least you're not a starving child in Africa!".


Where has this attitude come from?
Have you ever experienced anything like this?
What are the attitudes towards mental health like where you live?

I suppose I'm just interested in the experiences and opinions of others.
 
I've experienced negative attitudes towards my mental health issues in the past, and so that's why I try to keep it hidden as best I can, most times. In high school, I suffered from agoraphobia mixed with anxiety (still do), and in gym it was mental hell for me to have to walk the track each day because it was so big and open. So, most days, I just skipped gym and hid in the bathroom until everyone came back inside-- which meant me being counted absent. I tried to talk to my coaches about it because I had started being so absent from gym that it appeared I wouldn't get credit for the course, but they didn't really understand. I ended up not getting credit for a semester of gym. I went to the school administration and asked if there was something I could do about it, but they seemed very irritated with me and wouldn't take me seriously because I wasn't on medication and don't go to therapy or anything. It was extremely, extremely frustrating! I wanted to curse them out honestly.
Luckily, I take online high school now, so making up that semester of gym is a breeze. :) and I don't have to try and explain my issues to anybody...
 
I've experienced negative attitudes towards my mental health issues in the past, and so that's why I try to keep it hidden as best I can, most times. In high school, I suffered from agoraphobia mixed with anxiety (still do), and in gym it was mental hell for me to have to walk the track each day because it was so big and open. So, most days, I just skipped gym and hid in the bathroom until everyone came back inside-- which meant me being counted absent. I tried to talk to my coaches about it because I had started being so absent from gym that it appeared I wouldn't get credit for the course, but they didn't really understand. I ended up not getting credit for a semester of gym. I went to the school administration and asked if there was something I could do about it, but they seemed very irritated with me and wouldn't take me seriously because I wasn't on medication and don't go to therapy or anything. It was extremely, extremely frustrating! I wanted to curse them out honestly.
Luckily, I take online high school now, so making up that semester of gym is a breeze. :) and I don't have to try and explain my issues to anybody...

Thanks for sharing your experience.
I suffer from social anxiety, so I can relate to the whole gym situation! I use to cry uncontrollably when I was forced into those lessons, which was always embarrassing.

I'm glad you found a way of dealing with it. I hope things get even better for you. :)
 
I have struggled with depression my entire life. I've had a therapist on and off for the past 20+ years.

I believe many people look at other people's minds like nuclear power. There's a lot of potential to use them for great power, but you don't really want to get any on you.

I also believe that many people are very selfish and don't really care about what you know. They care more about what you know about them.

Mental illnesses can be very difficult because there is no movement of social awareness and/or community-minded understanding of it. To build off of Mitch Hedberg's joke about alcoholics: It's the only illness you can get yelled at for having. People don't offer compassion or connection, they just bark unhelpful statements like "Choose to be happy!" or "Cheer up, guy!". I think they want to help, but just don't really know how, so they spit out tee shirt slogans.

I was feeling really down and reached out to the people on this forum. I figured "Who could possibly know more about self-loathing and depression than a Morrissey fan?". I was correct in my suspicion. I met realitybites, who turned out to be one of the best people I've met in a long time.

Slowly but surely, I continue to make friends on here and look forward to making more.

The thing I finally accepted is: No one will ever (nor could ever) care about my happiness as much as I do. It really is up to ME to stay alive and bully through the adversity.



Thanks for that. I love your attitude towards life.
That scene from Rocky Balboa is apt.

Thank you. :)
 
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I have struggled with depression my entire life. I've had a therapist on and off for the past 20+ years.

I believe many people look at other people's minds like nuclear power. There's a lot of potential to use them for great power, but you don't really want to get any on you.

I also believe that many people are very selfish and don't really care about what you know. They care more about what you know about them.

Mental illnesses can be very difficult because there is no movement of social awareness and/or community-minded understanding of it. To build off of Mitch Hedberg's joke about alcoholics: It's the only illness you can get yelled at for having. People don't offer compassion or connection, they just bark unhelpful statements like "Choose to be happy!" or "Cheer up, guy!". I think they want to help, but just don't really know how, so they spit out tee shirt slogans.

I was feeling really down and reached out to the people on this forum. I figured "Who could possibly know more about self-loathing and depression than a Morrissey fan?". I was correct in my suspicion. I met realitybites, who turned out to be one of the best people I've met in a long time.

Slowly but surely, I continue to make friends on here and look forward to making more.

The thing I finally accepted is: No one will ever (nor could ever) care about my happiness as much as I do. It really is up to ME to stay alive and bully through the adversity.



Thank you very much. Likewise. You are a very special person and I feel very fortunate to have met you. So glad we became great friends. :)
 
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Two things here

Mental health = things you do to relieve stress, make you happy.

mental disorders = I think they have a name for everything, the "everyone gets a trophy" and gets treatment. Take a doctor, you brake your leg, they treat you. But importantly, the say, you may have a limp, forever. The doctor will heal you the best they can. but you are left with what you have and have to make due. In my work I have dealt with many psych professionals. They don't ever use the word cure.

What is cured. Are the "Healthy" people feeling no discomfort in life as they navigate it, I think not. But they make it happen to the best of there ability. A theme I find with the people I respect is gratitude and acceptance for life's course when they have truly done everything they can to enforce their will on it.

Most people steer clear of people with mental disorders because A) They don't want to be there when they snap B) They don't want to do their living for them. I have ran into a few people who have disorders, its sad yes, but what is the cure.

If you reach for anyone, you may be disappointed. Gather your strength and search for what inspires you, not taints the world.

I do things in life to take care of me so I can take care of others. On my daily training I saw the most spectacular sights of the san francisco bay today. Go find your bay.
 
Ironically the San Francisco Bay has the World's No.2 suicide spot.

Interesting post though, something like depression you can get better from but not a disorder. People will generally rally round a depressed person but often avoid a person with a disorder for the reasons you said plus people with disorders may appear a bit wacky. Suffering from depression seems to have become acceptable but the other stuff still has a big stigma attached.
 
Ironically the San Francisco Bay has the World's No.2 suicide spot.

Interesting post though, something like depression you can get better from but not a disorder. People will generally rally round a depressed person but often avoid a person with a disorder for the reasons you said plus people with disorders may appear a bit wacky. Suffering from depression seems to have become acceptable but the other stuff still has a big stigma attached.

Not really ironic Charlie. People from the Bay area do not commit suicide more frequently. People commute to the Golden Gate from all over the world to jump off this iconic bridge. If you are going to jump off a bridge which one would YOU chose? I'd pick the GG. People have been fighting to put up suicide barriers for years. Resistance comes from those who argue it would alter the aesthetic appeal. Plus the barrier is estimated to cost 40-50 million dollars. There are suicide phones located every so many feet that link one to a suicide hotline. Ever see the documentary The Bridge?

golden-gate-bridge.jpg
 
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