Taboo

So... why is mental illness so taboo? This topic has been bugging me a bunch!!!

I'm so tired of people skirting around problems. I hate having to lie about how I am doing just because people are uncomfortable with it and because I do not want them to think I just want attention.

HECK in my Psychology (yes Psych!) class people seem to skirt around the issue of mental illness... just an observation I made. When asked for prayer requests... people only ask for prayer about physical illness... they ignore everything else because mental illness is not usually prayed for in a group setting... I wish I could shake things up sometime, I would love prayer to help me deal with some of my issues, but I dare not utter a word about it.

I'm also ticked (I just learned this) at the fact that many places will not hire me as a psychologist because I've been hospitalized. GOODNESS why am I being punished for keeping myself safe!!? What did I do wrong to deserve this?

I also hate how my University frowns upon mental illness so much. Sure they have a great counseling center and a great psych department... but hey when I went into ip for 4 days I come back and am told that if it ever happens again then I'll be asked to not come back to school... WHAT THE CRAP. And I made up all my work and did well in my classes. I'd understand if I wasn't able to keep up with my classes, but come on... I left for only 4 days. It's like being punished for something I have no control over. If I had went to the hospital with a physical illness or an injury it would have been just fine... but no mental illness is "different" from physical illness. I do not understand the stigma of mental illness.

I feel like I'm at fault here. I feel like my depression is all my fault, that I caused it. I feel like I have no control over it and how I feel... yet I am fully responsible for it. I must have done something wrong?

I just wish I could show people that mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, it is not something to avoid. I want to speak out about this topic... and hey I just might in the future! (or if I get the opportunity in a paper I WILL write on this topic)

I guess I'm off, take care!