I Guess You Think I’m Crazy…

I’ve struggled from depression and anxiety for most of my life, diagnosed when I was in my 50’s, and I’m now 71. I was diagnosed a little over fifteen years ago and was prescribed Lexapro by my primary physician. It works pretty well- that is, until it doesn’t. I’ve tried other anti-depressants, but without exception they all had unacceptable side effects.

The worst thing though, is the stigma, and it’s largely about words and phrases like mental illness, psychological disorders, etc. These words and phrases conjure (in many peoples’ minds ) words and phrases like “crazy,” “nuts,” or my personal favorite, “off his rocker.”

The PSA’s on television that plead for compassion for those who suffer from these disorders are a good thing, but not good enough. With so many people being so ignorant, the stigma can affect every aspect of our lives. In applying for a job for example, what might a prospective employer do with your application if he knew you were being treated for a “mental illness?” How about even a volunteer position? We need to banish phrases like “mental illness”, “psychological disorder,” etc. from our lexicon if we’re going to get others to to listen to us and accept us without judgment.