The advances of medicine include medication for those that suffer from mental illness. This allows the victims of mental disease to control their issues under the direction of a doctor. So, what does this mean? This means that the social stigma associated with mental illness needs to be removed so that more people can have the opportunity for a better quality of life.
Mental illness is not a death sentence, it is a factor that affects millions of people and that can be treated with medication.Therefore quality of life can be improved and people can lead healthy lives.
I suffered from depression for many years until I decided to get help. Eight years ago I walked into a therapy office with my head hung low. I was so ashamed of having to talk to someone about my problems and had the strongest fear that someone would recognize me and know that I was crazy. That was until I did some research and realized that I was not alone. Millions of people suffer from stress, depression, anxiety and countless other issues. However, only those that seek treatment are the ones that are able to break free from the chains that bind our mental health.
Just because a person is mentally ill does not mean that they have to stay mentally still. I sought treatment and I feel like a better person with a better life for taking that step.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
The glass can be half empty
My dad is still around, I find it necessary to stay in touch with him and talk to him at least once a week. Part of me stays in touch with him just to view the slow decline that occurs in a person when their mind comes and goes. Another part of me stays in touch with him because there is a fundamental need to have a father. There are good days and there are bad days. More often than not the days are bad and I do not recognize the person that I once called dad.
The challenging part of talking to him is knowing that the person that you once knew is still there but "there" is covered up by another person that has inhabited their mind. The new person is angry, paranoid, agitated and has no concise. The new person picks and chooses what memories will be brought to light and then lashes out at the listener and darkens the memory.
At times, my father lashes out at me and interprets a simple comment as a paranoid insult. He insists that he knows my thoughts and I have offended him with out saying a word. I often wonder if after we speak he thinks about what I have said and then begins to add paranoid thoughts to a perfectly innocent conversation. At first, I would become very angry and take his words very personally; however, I have learned to ignore them.
I try to hold onto the moments of clarity as much as I can. Sometimes he laughs at my jokes and is able to be my dad for a little while. I live for these days, the days that I can have a little glimmer of hope and picture what my life would have been like to have a dad. On those great days I imagine what it would be like to have lunch with my dad, go to the mall with my dad and ask him for advice. I wonder what it would be like to have my dad walk me down the isle on my wedding day. I then remember that I would never have that moment, I would not even be able to invite him to the wedding because of the outburst that occur.
On those days I see the glass as half empty and I try my hardest to move on.
The challenging part of talking to him is knowing that the person that you once knew is still there but "there" is covered up by another person that has inhabited their mind. The new person is angry, paranoid, agitated and has no concise. The new person picks and chooses what memories will be brought to light and then lashes out at the listener and darkens the memory.
At times, my father lashes out at me and interprets a simple comment as a paranoid insult. He insists that he knows my thoughts and I have offended him with out saying a word. I often wonder if after we speak he thinks about what I have said and then begins to add paranoid thoughts to a perfectly innocent conversation. At first, I would become very angry and take his words very personally; however, I have learned to ignore them.
I try to hold onto the moments of clarity as much as I can. Sometimes he laughs at my jokes and is able to be my dad for a little while. I live for these days, the days that I can have a little glimmer of hope and picture what my life would have been like to have a dad. On those great days I imagine what it would be like to have lunch with my dad, go to the mall with my dad and ask him for advice. I wonder what it would be like to have my dad walk me down the isle on my wedding day. I then remember that I would never have that moment, I would not even be able to invite him to the wedding because of the outburst that occur.
On those days I see the glass as half empty and I try my hardest to move on.
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