Mental Health

I am writing now what I hope will one day be a book, or better yet never need to be one. The comments I hear in common use about mental health never ceases to amaze me. The mentally unstable have very few advocates. As a society we have made mental sickness something to be ashamed of and therefore people do not stand up like they do in other communities that have demanded fighting.

I truly believe that we as a culture will look back on these years with shame ourselves, as other racial/sexual communities look back now. That is not to say that there is equality for these other people groups. Far from it. That being said I am increasingly shocked how little is done for the mentally unstable: those who often can't fight for themselves. Do we not want to take responsibility?

"Retarded" is a token comedic word. Jokes are made constantly about homeless individuals. (70% of which have a mental disorder). Those who are appalled at others use of racial slurs/jokes, easily use the words retarded, loony bin, psycho, etc. I myself am guilty of using the word crazy our of context and I am working on it.

The most common reaction in the realm of mental instability is to laugh and joke, a reaction that in any other area would easily be pegged as insecurity and ignorance. This is long and rambling and I realize I am not articulating my point well. My point is this: remember that when you talk about, refer to, compare others with the mentally instable that you are making light of someones intense and often life threatening struggle. It matters.