October 3, 2011

Why doesn't mental illness have a color?


When I strolled down the driveway this morning to pick up mynewspaper, I was surprised. Surprised because it (my newspaper, not the driveway) was pink.


It didn’t take long for me to realize the state’s largestnewspaper was pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s a goodthing. The paper was chock full of stories about cancer survivors, cancerresearch, cancer prevention and more.


But it got me to thinking. How many people have a clue thatOct. 3-8 is also Mental Illness Awareness Week? How many blue newspapers were published today in honor of the week? Probably not many.


While cancer gets the headlines, mental illness is every bitas much of a public health crisis. Only it’s a silent killer. The stigma aroundsuicide, depression and other mental illnesses is so great that I’m too much ofa chicken to publish this blog under my real name.


That’s sad.


So in honor of Mental Illness Awareness Week, I thought I’ddo my part. Hereis a brochure from the National Alliance on Mental Illness on depression that might help you.

Major Depressive Disorder has been a hard fact of life forme for six or seven years. That’s since I was diagnosed. My issues actuallydate back to college and even, I realize now, back to my adolescence.


Like way too many boys and men, I suffered in silence forfar too long. I didn’t get help because I wasn’t sure I needed it. I was too scared or too ignorant to ask for help.


I am far from an expert, but now I know the symptoms, evenif I still fail to realize I’ve slipped into the deep, dark pit of depression until I’vehit rock bottom. I hit rock bottom this summer, and it was pure misery.


If you think you might be depressed, help is available. Here is some more great information from NAMI on what depression is exactly.


If you’re having a bad day, you may not be depressed. But ifyou can’t remember the last time you had a good month, I’d recommend talking toa professional. Folks who know a lot more about it than I do say psychotherapy— ascary sounding but basic term that means talk therapy—is a good place to start.You may or may not need medicine.


Since starting this blog, I’ve noticed there can be fiercedebate about whether drug-free treatment of depression really works. I wouldsay it depends on your circumstances, your family history and, probably, yourbrain chemistry.


The specific type of talk therapy that I havefound helpful is cognitive therapy. It’s basically learning to change the way wethink. There all kinds of techniques that a therapist or psychiatrist can teachyou.


One of the techniques I use when my mind starts racing isthe Stop Sign Technique. To stop the negative thought patters that sometimesresult in near full-blown panic attacks, I close my eyes andenvision a literal STOP sign in exquisite detail. Its color. Its shape. Theletters S-T-O-P and what they look like. It helps. Sometimes, anyway.


For many of us, talk therapy alone isn’t enough. It isdifficult if not impossible for me to imagine life without medicine at thispoint. Maybe that day will come, it just won’t come anytime soon.


A good place to start is to get educated. Talk to yourprimary doctor if you might be depressed. Ask—demand if you have to—a referralto a therapist or a psychiatrist, or maybe both. It may be the best phone callyou ever make.


If you are like me, your family will thank you for it.


I plan to blog a couple of times this week in recognition ofMental Illness Awareness Week.


My hope is it helps someone, even if it’s just ONE.

8 comments:

  1. Hi great post as always. I too have blogged about Mental Illness awareness and am trying to do it for the whole of October. In Australia October is Mental Illness Awareness month. I totally agree that if it is a form of cancer you will get much more publicity. It is quite shameful mental illness in it's many forms is still so stigmatise. Keep it up. Voice by voice, word by word we can get it out there.
    Laura

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  2. Laura,
    Many thanks for checking out the blog. What you are doing is great. I appreciate your support of this new outlet.

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  3. Recently found your blog. The "Folgers" post really hit home - being grouchy and out of it in the morning has always made me feel ashamed and frustrated. You write well and to the point. Thank you for sharing.

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  4. Thank you for sharing this post on the blog carnival! I have a friend with breast cancer that gets so frustrated with all the "pink." She is tired of "awareness" - almost everyone is aware by now - and is ready to see that money spent towards researching cures. I understand that feeling. A pink newspaper doesn't really cure a disease. But in our case, with our various mental illnesses, we aren't even to the pink newspaper stage. We are still trying to get the average person to understand what mental illness is, what it means, and how to take the first steps towards healing. It's a long road, but I look forward to the day when I feel like we are past our own pink newspaper stage - with most everyone aware - and onto real change in our society.
    Adventures in Anxiety Land

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  5. Blue Morpho,
    Thanks so much for the comment. Well said. We are a long, long way from there and it will take a massive effort to remove the stigma of mental illness and raise awareness that it is a medical condition just as diabetes, cancer or any other illness. Many thanks for what you do. Please visit again.

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  6. Amazing post. I'm so glad you submitted it to the blog carnival. : )

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  7. Kat,
    Thanks for the nice comment. Please come again!
    One Man

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  8. I am a breast cancer survivor on top of suffering from depression. Don't be a hater on either one until you have been there!!!

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