In the Shadows

Day 4

____________________________________________

Today I became certified in Mental Health First Aid.

Which sounds cool and fancy.

It sounds nice to put on a resume.

But Dear Lord....it was far from simple.

Mental Health is underestimated and in the shadows.

But one thing stuck with me above all else.

It will be tricky to put into words,

as I am a more passionate speaker then writer.

When you think of Schizophrenia, what are some negative terms usually associated with that person?

crazy, loose cannon, off there rocker, delusional, cray cray,

ridiculous, out of control, unstable

When you think of Anxiety, what are some negative terms usually associated with that person?

unstable, nervous, paranoid, can't handle anything,

caves under pressure, their own fault, scary

When you think of Depression, what are some negative terms usually associated with that person?

sad, nervous, unsocial, lazy, won't get anything done,

annoying, just pick yourself up, you have no reason to be sad

Now, when you think of Cancer, what are some negative terms usually associated with that person?

....they are just a victim...

____________________________________________

Think about it.

The symptoms of each illness above can have similar affects on a person.

It affects there mood, energy levels, ability to got o work, ability to socialize, everything.

So why then do we treat mental illnesses differently than any other illness?

It's an illness, isn't it?

These people are human, aren't they?

We need to start treating every and any illness with compassionate words and actions,

not stigmas and stereotypes.

As the old and cliche quote goes,

"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you do not know about"

Treat each person you meet with a kind heart, listening ears, open eyes, and an understanding soul.

\