Crazy. Last time I checked just because someone has been diagnosed with a mental illness does not mean they are crazy. However, as infuriated as I was with him I realized that it was not his fault, but rather the result of the lack of education on mental health within our culture(s).
Being diagnosed with OCD and GAD at a young age was a difficult time for me. I vaguely remember being trapped in a cycle of thoughts that seemed irrational to me at the time and then the obsessions manifesting into compulsions, which included the urge to wash my hands, using my foot to open doors, not shaking people's hands, taking showers when I got home every time I went out, repeatedly checking things to make sure they were done right and other rituals that slowly started becoming a normal part of my daily routine. Not to mention all the additional symptoms brought on by my anxiety.
The worst part was not understanding why I was doing the things I was doing or the overwhelming thoughts that took control over me. Furthermore, there was also the fear of talking to anyone about what I was going though because I thought people were going to think I was crazy or making things up. In addition, my parents did not understand what I was going through and would often get mad at my bizarre behaviors and mindset because in the Hispanic culture socioeconomic, religious, cultural, and other factors have placed a stigma mental illnesses. Truth be told that my parents were loving and supporting after my diagnosis, but when family members found out that I had been diagnosed with OCD and GAD, they would often say it was all in my head, called me loca and then encourage me to try to stop the obsessions and compulsions by reminding me that I was a very smart, strong girl. It took a couple of years for my family to understand and accept that I was battling with OCD and GAD, but with patience and education on mental health they began to be more open minded and supporting.
However, the older I got, the more I began to realize that a lot of people lack education on mental health. I remember getting upset, even to this day, when people made statements about having or being OCD because they always had to tidy up things or they had to have things done a certain way without even an idea of what battling with OCD really meant or without a proper medical diagnosis. Furthermore, it was not just statements about OCD, but other mental disorders. I do not think I can count the number of times I have heard people using the words "depressed" or "bipolar" loosely as if it was just another adjective to describe an individual. What agitates me the most was how through the years I saw and heard how people stigmatized mental illnesses and then suddenly began to glamorize and romanticize mental illnesses.
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I reiterate that it is not people who are to blame, but the culture we live in. We live in a culture where we are afraid to be different based on what society defines as normal, a culture that stigmatizes mental illnesses without the proper education on mental health and a culture in which people who suffer from mental illnesses are afraid to speak up. I believe that raising awareness and increasing mental health programs will improve this neglected aspect of our culture.
Thanks for this article and thanks for sharing with everyone. If the truth is to be a lot of people struggle with some kind of disorder in silence with no medication. I can relate to your article because I remember my mother telling me a story about my four year old cousin's reaction after she touched the spoon in his bowl of ice cream. The way you react to a loved one's OCD symptoms can have a big impact and I'm glad your family is supporting you in the effort. Please know you're not the only one.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article, I definitely am going to start thinking before I say something related to OCD. I usually try not to offend others but I haven't been thinking when related to mental health disorders. I have also noticed a lot of different clothing stores capitalizing on mental disorders.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Michelle and Dakota--it's time we all started thinking about what words mean and do before we say them. Thank you for sharing your poignant post on the issue of mental health. I agree with you as well that it's not discussed enough, or clearly, or with the emphasis we need to support family and friends and to help fund research for better care and treatment.
ReplyDeleteWell said. Maybe you could link to some quality further reading that might define some of these terms medically?
Outside of the Psychology courses that I've taken, I've never really learned about how people struggle with mental illnesses. In class, we didn't really focus on the people themselves but the background of the illness. Your post was VERY interesting. You were able to give us a deeper look into your living with mental illnesses. The comment about that person calling you "crazy" for something that you simply cannot help, really caught my attention. He was definitely in the wrong but I feel that society may have a contribution to this. I don't think that we, as people, take mental illnesses seriously. Yes of course there are illnesses that are ranked higher than OCD and GAD, but you have probably had to alter your entire life because of it. I'm glad to know that your family and friends are very supportive. Support from your loved ones can be a good medication...or so I've heard. I hope you all the best.
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