it's a disorder, not a decision
- lxrynwxtring
- Oct 14, 2022
- 3 min read
10/14/22
hello cherubs!
today we will be discussing how mental illness is a disorder, not a decision.
by definition, a mental illness is: "health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behavior (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities."
mental illness is common, but not extremely. approximately 1 in 5 (19%) of U.S. adults experience some type of mental illness. and 1 in 24 (4%) have a serious mental illness.
our saving grace to mental illness, is the fact that it is treatable. most people with a mental illness can continue to function in their daily lives.
now, there are two ways to look at things. we have one side, called mental health, and we have another side, called mental illness. take a second and think about what each of those could mean...
mental health is our effective functioning or healthy functioning. mental health can look like productive normal activities such as school, work, and caregiving, healthy relationships, and the ability to cope with change and adversity.
but on the flip side, we have mental illness, which refers to all mental disorders collectively. they can result in significant changes in mood or behavior and distress or problems with social, family or other activities.
when someone has a mental health condition, they usually don't want to talk about it. but truthfully, it's like any other condition, such as heart disease or diabetes: it's a diagnosis. but, it's a treatable diagnosis. and with technology ever evolving, there are so many available options to treat mental illnesses.
unfortunately, mental illness does not discriminate. mental illness does not care about age, gender, geography, income, social status, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or background. while mental illness can come about at any age, typically the signs are prominent before age 24.
mental illness can take many forms, of all shapes and sizes. it can be mild, where you are still able to function daily, with or without medication. or it can be as drastic as having to receive medical treatment in a mental health facility.
while there are ways to self diagnosis mental illnesses, it is best to seek professional help. but unfortunately the stigma around mental illness stops many people from seeking the proper help.
mental illness isn't always easy to diagnosis. in life, it is normal to have depressive episodes when certain life events happen, such as: losing a loved one, get let go from a job, etc. it is when the feeling of hopelessness lingers longer than 2 weeks that depression can take hold.
sometimes mental illnesses can appear as other medical conditions. that's why it's very important to have a medical professional's diagnosis, which typically requires a physical exam including blood work or neurological tests.
treatment and self-help can look different for everyone. treatment is determined by severity & the advice of a medical professional. treatment is dependent upon severity of symptoms, how much these symptoms affect daily life, and risks and benefits of these available treatments.
mental health treatment consists of many things including: therapy, medication, and other treatments. majority of the time, the best treatment is a combination of all types.
but along with proper treatment, self-help can increase the positive outcomes. self-help promotes the individual's coping, recovery, and wellbeing. self-help can look many different ways but typically includes support groups, lifestyle changes, and exercise/healthy habits.
THIS INFORMATION IS NOT MINE. I HAVE SUMMARIZED FROM THE ARTICLE LISTED BELOW.
I hope that this post helped someone to realize that they shouldn't feel shame because the have a mental illness. while I understand that there are people who may "fake" a mental illness to gain attention or access to certain things, majority of us don't. it is rare that a mental illness isn't real.
mental illness affects so many of us. it is important that we find others going through similar things and support each other. remember the most important part:
you deserve to get help because you deserve to be here.
I'll see you guys in the next one!
xx Loryn
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