Stigma

First and foremost forgive my righteous indignation of a post if you can call it that...

I live with mental illness everyday in my own life, the life of my loved ones, my home and in my work. I read an article this past week that expressed what I have felt since I was a child and for the first time I saw it expressed in words and my heart jumped with excitement and joy. For the first time the medical world is redefining mental health, "being crazy", bi-polar, depressed, RAD, anxious...whatever you call it as a BRAIN DISEASE. This is nothing new. For many years we have known that mental health is caused by an increase/decrease in serotonin, that neurotransmitters connect or disconnect and a myriad of other physical symptoms cause what we know as mental health or what I now will call a brain disease.

I am sick and tired of the stigma. I am sick and tired of people that say just walk away or protect yourself and your children from those suffering. Would you say the same thing if I told you that it was cancer? Would you say just put that person in a hospital ward and leave them to die alone? Would you say that medication is just a band aid? Would you say just let them suffer? Would you blame that person for having cancer? Well, let me be the first to say that a brain disease is no different from cancer. And next time someone tells you they are suffering from a mental illness give them and their family a hug, offer to bring dinner, ask if you can help the same way you would if that person was lying in a cancer ward suffering. Don't feel sorry for them or their family. Don't ask what they did wrong or if they were always that way as a child. Don't assume their family or parents did something wrong. Don't assume God has forsaken them. God has not left their side. God loves them as He love all those suffering from illness...but do you?

I am the first to say that I am embarrassed and ashamed by brain diseases, I wonder if that isn't why I always worked in the mental health field? Was it that God gave me an extra measure of understanding, of love, compassion? And how it is that as a child I could stand outside a room and know the pain going on inside the walls without hearing a word and I condemn, judge and lack love for myself and those around me suffering? Because I am human, I am sinful, I am hurting, I am sick. And if you don't think you have your own sickness then throw the stones, God will be the judge. Again, forgive my anger. I am angry. I am angry that people pray everyday for the starving, for the AIDS stricken, for the physically challenged and never mention a word of those living everyday with a brain illness. And if you don't think it affects you here is statistic for you...one in every three people suffer from a brain disease. Look around you and I ask you if you are the exception?
And don't tell me that it is just a spiritual issue. I myself have gone through this. How many counselors just tell addicts to just pray a little more. And if you didn't already know addiction is also a disease of the brain with the same biological factors at play then any other physical disease. So pray, pray like crazy that God would heal and when He chooses not to please don't imply that God has forsaken that person or that they just didn't accept God's healing. Would you do the same of someone with Cancer?

Today I was reading Sean and Cate's blog. I heard a song by Sara Grove, "It's Going to Be All Right". Well today I believe it is going to be all right. Today I believe that I can live a full and joyous life. I, those I love and those individuals I work with will be alright not in spite of their brain disease but because of their brain disease. God gives all those suffering a measure of strength and courage of the soul that only those in desperation can receive. So don't offer any cliches and don't pretend to understand all the pain but hold onto faith that it is going to be all right. And say, we are going to be all right. Use WE because it communicates that God has not forsaken us but instead has chosen to bless us. Begin to change the world around you by identifying those suffering as blessed and not lost.

So next time you see me give me a hug. Don't ask me to run but know that I am blessed.