Mental Illness Is Real

Lately I've become very aware that there is still a stigma around mental illness. Throw-away comments have opened my eyes to a world that up until recently I liked to think we no longer lived in. A world where people don't understand mental illness.

And I say this in the most basic sense. Mental Illness is almost impossible to understand without a lived experience. I can only imagine the reality of life for people who experience anorexia or schizophrenia. But that doesn't mean you can't be sympathetic and supportive. 

What I mean by 'people who don't understand mental illness', is that there are people who doubt whether mental illness is real. Here's a sample of the quotes I heard:

I always thought depression was just because you had too much time to think.

Monday was meant to be the most depressing day of year. well if we all survived, I guess none of us committed.

And because of the context of these comments and where they took place, I didn't have the courage to speak up and challenge them.

Chibird.com

My heart breaks at these comments. But for a lot of people, this is what they believe. They truly cannot comprehend that these are real illnesses that can affect your whole life.

I guess I have just been surrounding myself with people I feel comfortable around - people who are understanding when it comes to mental health. 

Comments like this have opened my eyes. Now I can see that there is still much work to be done in the area of mental health awareness. This month, See Change are running the Green Ribbon campaign. The Green Ribbon is a symbol. By wearing it you show that you are willing to talk about mental health, that you are open to discussing it. It's a symbol of support, a sign that I can talk to you with ease about mental health.

There's a lot going on this month, both in my own life and in Ireland as a whole. But taking two minutes to put on that Green Ribbon could change a life. I've been so distracted by my own personal life that I've forgotten to put that ribbon on my coat over the last week. Who knows what conversations I could have started with it?

From working on the Green Ribbon campaign for the last two years, I know the power of that ribbon. It can end stigma, and create an understanding of mental health.

We need to challenge these views and show society that yes, mental illness is real. That yes, regular people like you and I have experienced it. That no, it's not because I think too much (although yes, I probably do that). That no, it's not okay to joke about suicide. That there is no 'most depressing' day of the year. That yes, people can and do recover. And that wearing a Green Ribbon lets people know that you are there for them and willing to listen when it comes to mental health.

You don't have to be an expert to talk about mental health. We just want there to be an open conversation.