Stigma - Mental Illness

Why does stigma exist? I believe I will be repeating myself again but I believe stigma exists because people are not educated and choose to hate instead of understand. As one with a mental illness I have dealt with stigma. I have met people who when I shared that I had a mental illness they tried to pity me - like I had some fatal disease. Mental illness is a disease but I do not ask for pity just understanding. Many of us fear what we do not understand and mental illness can be hard to understand. Mental illness is sometimes scary for the people who have it as well as the loved ones who are trying to support them. Many years ago we locked people up who had a mental illness. State hospitals are just starting to be closed down and we are re-integrating these people back into the community. But communities are scared. They do not want "Those people" in their backyards. They support the closures but are afraid to have people with mental illnesses in their neighborhoods. If they only knew how many people with mental illness already live in their neighborhoods. Due to poor planning by the states, the communities have not been educated so they are left to their own imaginations. People with mental illness are just like you and me. They have their good days and their bad days. Some must take medication on a daily basis and others just need the support of a therapist or case manager. If we could just help our brothers and sisters this process of re-integration could go a lot smoother. I feel sorry for the people who are missing out on getting to know some phenomenal people because they allow the fact that they have a mental illness get in the way. We have a lot to learn from people with mental illnesses and if we just open our minds and hearts - a lot of growth can take place. So I ask you today to take a risk and learn more about mental illness. I am attaching a link to NAMI - the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Just take 10 minutes out of your day and take a look - open your heart and mind and you'll be amazed at what you learn.

http://www.nami.org/