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0 By Avion Anderson
Many people are still in the dark about the many different forms and types of mental conditions. Especially both mental health professionals and the general public here in Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean as a whole. This is due to the fact the mental illness is still a taboo subject that rarely gets discussed. And it is possibly not that much important in the state of healthcare in the Caribbean.
A little progress
I am not saying that there has not been any progress with mental health awareness, because I would be lying. There have been a few mental illness speeches, in which mostly schizophrenia, anxiety and depression have stood out. Rather than all the other mental illnesses which exist in the world, as we all know.
Basically, I believe that the Caribbean people are still scared to speak out about mental illness. Most of them are afraid to even acknowledge that they have a mental condition. This is due to the fact that they will be discriminated against, victimized, mocked, ridiculed. They might even lose their jobs, their loved ones might forsake them or even have them institutionalized.
Still silent…why?
Other countries, such as the USA, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia, there’s an awakening to the issues surrounding mental illness. And more and more, we are seeing the rise in mental health awareness campaigns and speeches. We’ll see smiling faces of persons coming forward sharing their story and their recovery. But they are in the minority, because it is stated that one in every four persons around the world suffers from at least one form of mental illness, if not multiple. And yet, where are they when these mental health awareness campaigns are in effect?
Why are they not coming forward in sharing their stories, their struggles and their journey to recovery?
Even those who gave up the struggle early and took their own lives, didn’t they leave behind relatives or loved ones? I know it’s hard to lose someone you love, but their story might help stop someone else from taking their life. I do strongly believe that there’s always something missing and that there’s still that never-ending stigma about mental health awareness. For there’s lots more that needs to be done. Especially as not all the mental illnesses are being brought to the forefront of these awareness campaigns.
There are many more mental illnesses
Often many mental illnesses are omitted from the mental health movement. Such as: obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized disorder, and other anxiety disorders. Narcissistic personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder (such as myself) and other personality disorders. Dyspareunia and other sexual disorders, mood disorders and several other disorders.
It is my humble opinion that those same persons who raise awareness, unintentionally marginalize others living with all other forms and types of mental disorders. By forgetting them. This is totally wrong. Yes, I am aware there is Mental Health Awareness Day, which is the main reason why I bought up this issue. Because not all the mental illnesses are covered and addressed on that day.
Yes, I am also aware that in many countries around the world, there’s a special day dedicated to a mental disorder. But these days are not popular nor do they take centre-stage so to speak. Very little is being said and done on these individual days.
Open to all mental health struggles
I am totally aware that depression and anxiety are serious, but they do not predispose people to understanding all mental illnesses. Having a friend who has depression or anxiety does not necessarily make you open to all mental health struggles. Struggles with which millions of people around the world are living with each and every day of their lives.
Then again, the over representation of some mental disorders and the under representation of other mental disorders has become totally acceptable. In my case, being a young woman from the Caribbean, many persons would argue with me. They’d say “How can an island girl, like you, be suffering from social phobias?”
I’m not superwoman
I am a human being, just like everybody else. I feel pain, I bleed, and I do have multiple mental illnesses. Yet because I am from the Caribbean, an undiscovered island paradise, I shouldn’t be having any problems, mental or physical. That is saying to me that I should be superwoman, or even be made of steel. And what am I complaining about – I should keep my mouth shut and take my pain.
If I keep my mouth shut, how would I be able to find out what is wrong with me? Or what is it that I have to do to heal myself and overcome my problems and mental illnesses? These are some of the things and more, which many persons living with mental illness, have to go through.
Because we have a mental illness that not much is being said about, to neglect or reject us, and put us in a box does not make it any better.
We need awareness
We need awareness on not only what the other different mental disorders could be, such as obsessive compulsive disorder, schizoid personality disorder, even paranoia and schizophrenia. Not all of the mental disorders push someone to become homeless, or on drugs, or to turn into a murderer. Or even to prefer to have sex with animals or objects.
I would agree with you all, that for most persons living with mental illnesses, when the pain gets too much for them to handle and they have lost or have no support, suicide is seen as their only option. That is why I believe that each and every person living with mental illnesses of any form and type, should be able to come forward and share their stories. And that no one should be stereotyped, because they don’t fit the bill.
We need to stop bringing to the forefront some of the mental health issues and excluding the rest of the mental health issues, as if they are nothing, because there a billion persons living in the world today. Many of those persons suffer from a different mental illness and their symptoms vary.
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A long way to go
I am living and continuously struggling each and every day of my life with bipolar disorder (which my psychiatrist said I was misdiagnosed with). Also social anxiety disorder, schizoid personality disorder, anxiety, depression, generalized anxiety disorder (that what my psychiatrist recently re-diagnosed me as having). That does not mean that the other mental disorders are not that important to me. Because the truth of the matter is that they are all mental disorders, which are closely linked to those mental illnesses which I suffer from.
I feel that it’s of equal importance to talk about my own mental illnesses, as well as those others. My own mental health awareness campaign, which is soon to come on stream, is all about this – bringing to the forefront all the mental disorders that exists in the world. And allowing each and every person living with whatever mental disorder to come forward and share their stories including stories of recovery.
Those who have given up the fight and taken their own lives, because they could not bear the pain anymore have left behind loved ones. And as painful as it is to bring back up old wounds, sharing stories of those who struggled is just as important as those who are here with us, still fighting and trying to overcome.
To end it off, I must say that they are still lots more work to be done and we still have a long way to go, but we will get there.
Reproduced with permission; originally posted here avionneslegacy
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