Mental Illness: A Closer Look

I have had fun with the few blogs I have written because you know, being opinionated AND having a place to voice those opinions is a wonderful freedom. What I've realized after rethinking the opportunity that blogging gives me is that I can really do something good with this freedom. With that in mind I venture into a new territory and I hope you will follow along.

How many mentally ill people do you know?

What picture comes to mind when someone says, "Have you heard that (insert your neighbor, your friend, your relative's name here) is mentally ill? Do you picture a scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"? Is the image you see one of people walking around in hallways, hospital gowns barely covering their undernourished bodies? Maybe others with worn, wrinkled, baggy clothes, hair wild and greasy, eyes wide and bugging out or staring blankly? Is your vision one of the paranoid patient, hiding in a corner, repeating the same phrase over and over, spittle running down the chin? Oh come on now, admit it, to some of you, some of these images or similar ones did cross your mind! Let's take a look at the "REAL PICTURE"!

THE REAL PICTURE OF MENTAL ILLNESS SHOULD BE:

The banker who gave you your new home loan this morning

The store clerk at Wal-Mart who pleasantly rang up and bagged your order

The teacher you talked to at your child's parent teacher conference

Your personal trainer at the gym

The Dr. you consulted about whether you should have a lumpectomy or a mastectomy

The police officer who took your accident report for the fender bender

The person who delivers your mail or your packages

The mechanic who fixed your brakes this morning

The dentist who pulled your child's tooth

The CEO of the largest business in town

The delivery person who just brought that pizza

The waitress or waiter who served you lunch at the corner cafe

The attorney who helped you file that lawsuit yesterday.

The politician you vehemently campaigned for

The person at the counter where you dropped of your dry cleaning

The preacher who gave that wonderful sermon on Sunday

The employer who hands out your paycheck

The employee who just got the a distinctive service award........

AND ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?

EVERY 4TH PERSON THAT YOU PASS ON THE STREET!!!!!

"NO!!", you say? You don't believe it? Do you "suffer" from depression? Take antidepressants for it? Then you are considered "mentally ill"! How do you like that label? You are one of "those people"! Yes indeed, you sure are...puts a whole new look to the issue doesn't it..... AND just for your information, antidepressants are the most prescribed drug in the US.

Did you know that in 2005 the Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that there were 118 million prescriptions written for antidepressants? More than for any other condition! The number is very likely doubled or tripled by now!

Think we're not in a crisis here folks? Think Again!! Think it can't happen to you? Think again!! It can happen to anyone! MENTAL ILLNESS DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE! It matters not your age, gender, or race. IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU!

There are many kinds of MENTAL ILLNESS. Along with Depressive Disorders there are Bipolar and other Mood Disorders, Schizophrenia and other Psychotic Disorders, Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Impulse Control Disorders, Drug and Alcohol related Disorders, Eating Disorders, Anxiety Disorders and many, many more. I bet each and every one of you know someone in your life who SUFFERS from a "MENTAL ILLNESS"! I will attempt to hit on most of them in future blogs.

The stigma of the diagnosis has to be overcome, destroyed as a matter of fact! Victims should not have to suffer alone, in silence, trapped inside themselves because of the judgment of uneducated individuals. YOU CAN have a mental illness and have a stable, happy, productive life. Recovery is possible, there are countless success stories. You'll read some of them here. There is help all around you and I'll be talking about that too! There are advocates everywhere! You probably already know some of them.

Follow me as I explore, search and research this world that many people don't know exists (yep, that's your neighbor) others don't care that it exists as long as it doesn't affect them, (don't have to talk to that neighbor), and the ones that keep their blinders on and don't want to admit it exists.

In writing about this subject, I hope you'll join those of us who do care and want to make a difference. Maybe somewhere along the way, you too, will decide that in some way, no matter how big or small, whether it be with time volunteered, a donation to an organization, an opening of your mind, a change in attitude, or just a "Hello, what can I do to help you neighbor?", maybe YOU CAN "MAKE A DIFFERENCE"!

Woke Up This Morning......

For that I gave thanks! Need I say more?

Being thankful that I did wake up and that the coffeemaker is still just leaking and has not totally given out, I looked at the clock and realized I was just in time for Joyce Myer. Now some of you might already be a loyal follower of Joyce, some may have heard of her in passing and some of you might be like me, catch her if you can. Others of you might not have ever heard of her! I hate it for you. Lately I've been trying to "catch" her show more often because I'm realizing I do need some positive reinforcement and positively amusing reinforcement in my activities of daily living. And I've realized that I like starting the day that way.

How about you? How do you start your day? Do you look forward to it? Do you dread it? Is it a day of feeling it's great to be alive or is it another ho-hum day, just another day to get through? Don't misunderstand me here. I'm not trying to say that everyone should watch Joyce Myer everyday, although it wouldn't hurt if they did. I'm just suggesting that if you can't start your day in a positive way that it's about time you figure out how to do just that! You'd be amazed at what a difference it will make for you and everyone around you!

Now I CAN wake up positive on my own (okay, most of the time), been doing it for years (off and on). I can hardly wait for the beginning of each new day but you know, there's something about another person reminding you of all the reasons you can hardly wait for that day. Even though I'm trying to be "good" in God's eyes, when discouragement slips in or negativity tries to rear it's ugly head it's nice to have a voice that says...Don't give up!! God has his eye on you and he's there for you to lean on!!

It's nice to be reminded that by giving you receive, and to remind yourself that there's a whole lot of folks right now that could use some "givin". I don't mean just money or material things either...that's what got the country in the state it's in. Yes, that's right! In my opinion not saving enough money and buying too much "stuff" and placing too much emphasis on material things and forgetting the blessings that we do have is why so many folks are so unhappy with their lives turned upside down.

Just take a look around you when you go to a store, a school, a sporting event, a church even! Do you see all of these people that scurry around with their heads down, wrapped in their own thoughts, even worse sometimes, their own misery? Do you see the ones that look you in the eye, you say Hi give them a great big smile and they just ignore you and walk by? It's the same in stores, in banks, in schools, in cars, everywhere you look, sometimes even at home!!

MOST of the people you meet are thinking of the next thing they have to do, the next credit card they have to pay, the sick child they can't afford to take to the doctor, how to pay for the phone, the rent, the mortgage, the groceries they have to buy, and how much month is going to be left at the end of the money! People don't have time to smile, say hi, or even to stop and smell the flowers. What are we coming to?

How about you? Did you remember to say I love you today? To your kids, your husband, your wife, your sister or brother, Mom or Dad or anyone else on your "love" list? You know, the people that need to hear it! Do you know how many people didn't say, "I love you, have a good day!" today to someone that they love dearly, and that loved one might never make it home again? Harsh fact folks but it happens every day! Then you're left standing beside a casket saying, "I wish I could say I love you one more time." Or maybe you're the one at the other end of the casket saying, "I wish I'd told you I love you when you left today." Guess what! It's too late! Did you ever think about that? You will after it happens to you!

Did you take the time to do something nice for someone else today? A family member, a friend, a neighbor, or a simple hello to a passing stranger on the street?

Did you scold your child because you were upset from sitting in traffic before you picked him up from school? Were you short with your husband because you had a stressful day at work? Were you short with your wife because an employee didn't do his job right today? Did you kick the cat because the dog peed on the floor?

Do you understand my point here? I see it every day! People being unkind to the ones they love because of someone else's shortcomings? Come on folks! Take a deep breath! Take some more! Tomorrow is too late to undo the things that you SHOULDN'T have said or done today!!

Start by setting an example! Believe me, kindness is contagious! You can start a whole new epidemic!! One kindness at a time! One smile at a time!! Count your blessings!!

Thanks for tuning in! See you next time the "spirit' moves me!!

Phili

April 2, 2009