When a person tells the people that he or she trusts that they have a mental illness, do people all of a sudden change their tone with that person or look at them strangely? Normally I'd tell the ignorant suckers to keep their mouths shut about what they haven't experienced, however perhaps their opinion is the majority of what's been voiced in the past so it is not entirely their fault.

What have we who are on the road to recovery or have been recovered done to change the stigma that has been voiced by the ignorant? Being silent on the issue for want of looking acceptable in society's eyes is just promoting the problem and not addressing it. We are the majority of those facing mental illness. I assume most of us who are have a mental illness know we have a problem, and are doing are best to address it. I was lucky enough to have a family who recognized my illness as not just psychiatric but also as a physical illness as well. Some people aren't. Even professionals who try to promote awareness on the subject aren't fully capable of relating exactly what's going on. I just saw a commercial today for Oakland County, Michigan's community mental health system, and it said basically if you noticed that someone was down and withdrawn to lead them to the community mental health clinic. 

While this may prove helpful for a few, it might miss those who were introverted to begin with, or people who are putting up a good front by being involved in everything as I was. Robin Williams death has put this issue at the forefront, but it's still not enough. We have to be the face of mental illness, or the stigma of the ill functioning detached from reality mentally ill will be here to stay. 

I'd love to hear from all of you on this post. What are you doing to promote the image of the functional survivor and dispel the image of the helpless victim? I'd love to hear from all of you. As I have told you before, don't be shy press reply! I'd love to hear from you.