Saturday, April 3, 2010

How Far Have We Really Come?

As I sat tonight listening to a conversation between 3 adults and I was shocked by what I heard. The amount of ignorance that still surrounds mental illness is astonishing. I am not sure why this surprises me, but it does. Why people cannot see mental illnesses as any other illness is just incomprehensible to me. People never question the validly of a person who needs glasses or someone that needs medicine to control high blood pressure, yet I often hear people question people suffering from mental illness. Few things anger me more than when I hear people question "if" medication is necessary?or Does so-and-so Really have a problem? and my favorite comment is "It is life, just deal with it; there is nothing wrong with you".

Why is it so difficult for people to accept that a persons mind can be broken? Why are people unwilling to take the time to learn about mental illness? I wish I could understand why, why is it so difficult to accept mental illness? I know that society has come a long way, but it seems that most of the change has come only in words and not really acceptance and change. People are still asked on job applications if they have ever been treated for a mental illness, that opens a whole lot of illnesses, many of which come be easily treated once diagnosed, never to be an issue again. However, because of the judgments made towards people with mental illnesses, many of those that need help will not get it and that is dangerous and sad.

My hope in posting this blog is that just one person, just one will think through what "mental illness" really is.

3 comments:

Slakk said...

your point on the validity of mental illness strikes a personal experience and belief of mine

people fail to "see" what is there, dismissing something that is "real"

thanks for "seeing" it the way you do


slakk

Slakk said...

..oh and also, who says an employer asks about mental illness on a job app.

outside the military and positions pf public health and well being, an applicants mental state is off-limits

if you claim that others beside the FBI, NavySEALS, and CocaCola peace operations, that private execs are interested in an applicant's mental being,than that is grounds for a hefty-thick discrimination lawsuit.

How do you like them democrats now?


slakk

Slakk said...

Oh-- and we've come far enough to include black people in our plight.

Really- think about it. How cool is that?

Compared to 200 years ago?

Good for us, I say!

slakk