I was shocked last night when I logged on to Facebook to check and see what was new in the world of social media. I was hit with endless posts about the sad and untimely death of one of my favorite childhood actors, Robin Williams. I felt tears welling up, it had already been an impossibly hard day, and the news of a suicide rocked me to my core. Sure, I didn't know Robin Williams. I don't know the story of his demons, his daily struggle with mental illness and addiction. What I do know, is the struggle of my clients, of my family and friends, of far too many people who feel so alone in their misery that they result to feeling like their only option is suicide.
Every year in the United States more than 30,000 people feel that there is no light at the end of the tunnel and fall victim to suicide (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, 2014). This number is staggering, but what is even more shocking is that suicide is the 11th most leading cause of death in the United States, and causes twice as many deaths as HIV/AIDS (SAVE, 2014). These numbers are astounding, and put into perspective how serious of a problem suicide, and mental illness and addiction truly are. So if this is such a problem, why isn't more being done to raise awareness and shine some light on the mental illnesses that are plaguing this world? Stigma?
How many times have you seen a dirty, unkempt man in the park talking to himself and laughed? Or chuckled at the old lady pushing a shopping cart full of what appears to garbage? Or encouraged your frat brother to have "just one more" after he just threw up a shot on the bar? How about this; when have you been the person being laughed at or stigmatized against? The chubby, unathletic kid picked last for recess? Or the awkward teenager, trying to fit in by starving yourself, or binging and purging behind the bathroom doors? The soldier returning from war whose civilian buddies keep telling you to "man up" or "stop being such a pussy". Or even the mother of a newborn baby, experiencing a huge change in hormones all the while questioning her ability to mold another human being? I would be willing to bet you could relate to at least one of those scenarios, and if you couldn't you know someone who could. Heck, I can relate to at least one of those, if not more. We have called people "pscyhos" or "schizo" or even referred to ourselves saying, "I am so bipolar". And so I would be hard-pressed to believe you if you told me you had never stigmatized anyone or been stigmatized against. If all of us can relate as either the stigmatized or stigmatizer why don't we do something to something to change this?
Unfortunately we either laugh at or avoid things we don't know about, therefore the first step to reducing stigma is through education. There is so much information out there, and if you are reading this blog, you better not tell me you don't have a way to access it. Shoot, if you are reading this blog and consider yourself to fit into the group of stigmatizers, click out of the window and google "mental illness" or "addiction" something of that nature. And read. I don't care if you come back to the window of Let's Be Wellness, as long as you learn something to open your eyes to what people with mental illness really go through each day.
Now that stigma is gone, nothing stands in the way of asking for help. The insecure teenager can go to her mother, the soldier can talk openly with his commander, the new mother can ask for help instead of feeling like she "should know what she is doing". Unfortunately that is the future I hope will exist someday and not the sad reality we live in. So as we work to reduce stigma, I also propose we encourage others to get help. Or to reach out to those we need help. Call your local mental health center, your doctor, a friend, your Pastor, 911; someone who can get you pointed in the direction you may need. Therapy, medication, or maybe just a listening ear.
Let's not let Robin Williams or any of the other 39,999 victims of suicide die in vain. Let's reduce stigma. Let's educate ourselves. Let's reach out to those in need. Let's reach out when we are in our own places of need. Let's Be Happy! Let's Be Healthy! Let's Be Wellness!
***If you or someone you know is in immediate fear for their life, CALL 911***
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