A year ago this month, I came out. Not in the traditional sense of the word, I did not announce that I was gay. I told my parents and my friends, (and only some of my friends) that I have a mental illness.
This is National Mental Illness Awareness Week. It is also the time of year that Mental Health America prepares for its Annual Awards Dinner which will be held this year on November 13. Last year, I was recognized with a great honor, as Consumer of the Year. Before the announcement was made, Paddy Kutz, the Executive Director of the agency, where I was then a volunteer, asked me into her office.
When Paddy first asked me if I would feel comfortable accepting this recognition and the fact that it would require me to acknowledge my role as a consumer, I was a bit hesitant. I had not yet come out to my family and friends. I was concerned that people would only see me as my diagnosis and not be able to discern where it left off and my personality began.
A few people I told warned me that I would never be able to find work again, once the secret of my diagnosis was out. I would be socially ostracized. My husband and I like dogs better than most people, so I wasn’t really worried about that.
People have told me to say that I have anxieties-that I experience depression. Both of these statements are true. My friends were concerned that if I told my whole diagnosis, I would suffer social bias and additional fallout from the stigma of having a serious mental illness.
I decided that that I needed to address the stigma of mental illness in our community. So, I decided to state that I am a person who experiences bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
I feel strongly that it is important to show yet another face of mental illness, to demonstrate that there are many faces of mental illness in our community and they belong to someone you know.
Mental Health America served 1 in six individuals in the county last year, that’s you or someone you know.
An equal number of men and women develop bipolar disorder and it occurs among all ages, ethnic groups and social classes. Approximately 2.5 million Americans live with this disorder, but the number of people affected is even greater.
People living with bipolar disorder experience alternating episodes of mania (severe highs), depression (severe lows) and mixed states, which contain elements of both.
If left untreated, people with bipolar disorder are at great risk for suicide, substance abuse, incarceration, and other harmful consequences. The mortality rate for people with untreated bipolar disorder is higher than it is for most types of heart disease and many types of cancers.
But with accurate diagnosis and treatment, people with bipolar disorder have better treatment success rates than people with heart disease. Essential components of the treatment process for people living with bipolar disorder include medication, psychotherapy, support groups, and education about the illness. It is estimated that 80 percent to 90 percent of people with bipolar disorder can be treated effectively with medication and psychotherapy.
Raising awareness of bipolar disorder is an important step towards promoting early detection and accurate diagnosis, which is why the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) created Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day, scheduled this year for Thursday, October 9.
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that two percent of the U.S. population or one in 40 people experience Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, in their lifetime. That is two to three times more common than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
Many people are familiar with the television series Monk, and its detective with his own form of OCD, but there are many manifestations of obsessive-compulsive disorder and individuals suffer to various degrees.
You never see successful people with bipolar disorder on TV or Film.
Bipolar disorder has caused the most serious episodes in my life, but even with years of treatment, OCD continues to cause me the most daily problems.
I thought that I would try to explain to you what is like to experience OCD, and then I realized that I cannot. Just as I cannot explain to my husband why the simple task of choosing a restaurant for lunch has frequently reduced me to tears, why I can’t eat at a salad bar or buffet, or an office party, why I can’t leave my dog over night, or have people in my house or the host of other rules that govern my daily life.
My husband, Graham, has patiently stood by me for 20 years, confused but supportive, as the rules change suddenly without explanation, it is one of the many reasons I adore him.
I’d like to thank Paddy Kutz for her encouragement for helping me to find the voice to speak. I’d like to thank my parents for continuing to support me. And most of all, I’d like to thank Graham who stands by me no matter what I say.
If you or anyone you know are concerned about depression or anxiety, please contact the Mental Health America office for more information. There is help. And if you experience a mental illness, I urge you to tell someone you know. You may be surprised at their reaction. And they may be surprised to learn that the face of mental illness is not so frightening, it is their roommate, their daughter, their co-worker or friend.
This is National Mental Illness Awareness Week. It is also the time of year that Mental Health America prepares for its Annual Awards Dinner which will be held this year on November 13. Last year, I was recognized with a great honor, as Consumer of the Year. Before the announcement was made, Paddy Kutz, the Executive Director of the agency, where I was then a volunteer, asked me into her office.
When Paddy first asked me if I would feel comfortable accepting this recognition and the fact that it would require me to acknowledge my role as a consumer, I was a bit hesitant. I had not yet come out to my family and friends. I was concerned that people would only see me as my diagnosis and not be able to discern where it left off and my personality began.
A few people I told warned me that I would never be able to find work again, once the secret of my diagnosis was out. I would be socially ostracized. My husband and I like dogs better than most people, so I wasn’t really worried about that.
People have told me to say that I have anxieties-that I experience depression. Both of these statements are true. My friends were concerned that if I told my whole diagnosis, I would suffer social bias and additional fallout from the stigma of having a serious mental illness.
I decided that that I needed to address the stigma of mental illness in our community. So, I decided to state that I am a person who experiences bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
I feel strongly that it is important to show yet another face of mental illness, to demonstrate that there are many faces of mental illness in our community and they belong to someone you know.
Mental Health America served 1 in six individuals in the county last year, that’s you or someone you know.
An equal number of men and women develop bipolar disorder and it occurs among all ages, ethnic groups and social classes. Approximately 2.5 million Americans live with this disorder, but the number of people affected is even greater.
People living with bipolar disorder experience alternating episodes of mania (severe highs), depression (severe lows) and mixed states, which contain elements of both.
If left untreated, people with bipolar disorder are at great risk for suicide, substance abuse, incarceration, and other harmful consequences. The mortality rate for people with untreated bipolar disorder is higher than it is for most types of heart disease and many types of cancers.
But with accurate diagnosis and treatment, people with bipolar disorder have better treatment success rates than people with heart disease. Essential components of the treatment process for people living with bipolar disorder include medication, psychotherapy, support groups, and education about the illness. It is estimated that 80 percent to 90 percent of people with bipolar disorder can be treated effectively with medication and psychotherapy.
Raising awareness of bipolar disorder is an important step towards promoting early detection and accurate diagnosis, which is why the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) created Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day, scheduled this year for Thursday, October 9.
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that two percent of the U.S. population or one in 40 people experience Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, in their lifetime. That is two to three times more common than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
Many people are familiar with the television series Monk, and its detective with his own form of OCD, but there are many manifestations of obsessive-compulsive disorder and individuals suffer to various degrees.
You never see successful people with bipolar disorder on TV or Film.
Bipolar disorder has caused the most serious episodes in my life, but even with years of treatment, OCD continues to cause me the most daily problems.
I thought that I would try to explain to you what is like to experience OCD, and then I realized that I cannot. Just as I cannot explain to my husband why the simple task of choosing a restaurant for lunch has frequently reduced me to tears, why I can’t eat at a salad bar or buffet, or an office party, why I can’t leave my dog over night, or have people in my house or the host of other rules that govern my daily life.
My husband, Graham, has patiently stood by me for 20 years, confused but supportive, as the rules change suddenly without explanation, it is one of the many reasons I adore him.
I’d like to thank Paddy Kutz for her encouragement for helping me to find the voice to speak. I’d like to thank my parents for continuing to support me. And most of all, I’d like to thank Graham who stands by me no matter what I say.
If you or anyone you know are concerned about depression or anxiety, please contact the Mental Health America office for more information. There is help. And if you experience a mental illness, I urge you to tell someone you know. You may be surprised at their reaction. And they may be surprised to learn that the face of mental illness is not so frightening, it is their roommate, their daughter, their co-worker or friend.
--Kristen Frame
Compeer Coordinator
No comments:
Post a Comment