Unlike physical disabilities, persons with mental illness are perceived by the public to be in control of their disabilities and responsible for causing them. Furthermore, research respondents are less likely to pity persons with mental illness, instead reacting to psychiatric disability with anger and believing that help is not deserved This is an attitude that really needs to be countered. The fact is when were going through a bad phase we are NOT in control, and most mental illness is caused by negative life experience which cannot be avoided. I suffer from depression and anxiety, and I admit I often worry that if I go hrough a bad phase and have a panic attack that people wont be understanding and will respond negatively to it. I havent had a proper diagnosis from a psychiatrist, but my doctor puts on my sick notes that I have depressive disorder. But in the past when Ive been triggered I admit that it has caused me to lash out at others. Now I just lash out at myself as its better than me hurting others. This has involved me cutting, slapping myself in the face, banging my head against the wall and punching myself in the head until I had a big bruise and may hve had slight concussion (which I didnt bother going to the doctors for but on reflection I probably should have). It may have shocked some to hear this as most who know me have only seen me in my good phases, when I havent been triggered, so see me as a good natured person. But I do worry if that would change if they see me triggered. So please bare in mind that if I seem to be acting completely out of order one day I am most likely triggered and have no control over what I do and say, and please bare that in mind with anyone else who has mental health issues. In our good phases we can be genuinly nice people, but we are vulnerable, and if when were ill we lash out at you, obviously do what you have to do to protect yourself, but please dont assume that our behaviour when were ill is all there is to us, because were not going to be like that all the time, and we end up really regretting it afterwards. We are just people who need understanding.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 23:19:34 +0000
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