This article comes late in the month simply because I procrastinated. And I was going to give you a million excuses. As I was coming up with my long list of reasons, I started to realize that some of them aren’t really just made up with the hopes I’ll skate by this month and all will be forgiven. Truly, the end of the year is hectic, our priorities get shifted and many things get lost in the shuffle. The winter “blahs” don’t help much either.So here’s what got me thinking. When you throw Bipolar disorder into the mix of all this, things can really get interesting. This can cause lack of concentration, depression and loss of motivation. If bipolar depression causes these little slumps that drain the desire to do anything (ironically causing me to not write an article about the trials and tribulations of mental illness), what does it look like from the outside? If you lack the motivation to do simple tasks, oftentimes, it becomes a bigger problem because you can lose your job or have trouble with school, family, etc. This of course, causes depression, and starts the cycle over again. Now, an observer may see this and judge that this person is lazy, leaching off the system, healthy enough to work, etc. They don’t know what a vicious cycle it is and that it is of no fault of the person suffering from it. Stigmatizing the person only perpetuates it. So my hopes for this New Year are that the public is allowed the chance to educate themselves on mental illness, not jump to conclusions on what it is, or what it looks like. That kinder words are used on TV, in politics, and by influential people of the world. That people will give others a break. So please, give your neighbors room to be who they are. Check on those who you think might need some help. And give yourself a break too. Give your schedule a little wiggle room, and cut yourself some slack if you are running late. Because like this article, better late than never!!
StigmaHurts is part of the Mental Health Awareness Committee of Ocean County, NJ All comments and questions should be directed to mail@stigmahurts.com