the reduction of “mental illness” to just moderate anxiety and depression really fucking pisses me off. any discussion at a workplace, school, university, doctors office, on the radio, on TV, in the news on “mental illness” is always just a discussion on anxiety and depression. all the awareness on social media for “mental illness” is always just for anxiety and depression.
I’d like to think this is because they are the most common forms of mental illness (though it has to be said anxiety and depression in themselves are umbrella terms, there are lots of different anxiety and depressive disorders), but I’ve got to say I’m noticing a theme in symptoms of mental illness that people can tolerate. even the more severe symptoms of anxiety and depression are simply not discussed, our own fault or are just excuses of some kind.
schizophrenics, bipolars, borderlines, people w/ DID etc. for some reason are in a seperate category than depressives and anxiety sufferers. there’s mental health issues and then there’s us crazy people. they dehumanise us and turn us into serial killers, bad parents, abusive husbands, cheaters and manipulators in their books and TV shows. if they can’t make our symptoms look romantic and easily fixed, they don’t want anything to do with us. we’re only useful for a good plot point, and in real life no one wants to talk about us. we’re here too, and there’s nothing to be gained by leaving us out of the discussion
gracieabrams
origamiaround
baratheonpilled
turnnoffyourmind
amandla
