Over the past few days I have been publishing a series of info-images (memes) to highlight that a vast majority of people (Americans are what I have stats for*) are NOT suffering with a mental illness. It’s part public service announcement, part social experiment and part performance art.
The reason I’m doing this is to redress the balance of perspective to reality. The internet is overflowing with ‘awareness’ campaigns that are all directed to draw attention to negativity, induce fear and steal the individual’s acceptance of their own basic humanity; even their own free will.
We have become a society of people who are not allowed to think or feel or act without passing the responsibility to some ‘affliction’ over which we have no control. We have become addicted to labels and we have been weakened by the pharmaceutical corporations and the media which lives and dies by their advertising investments, into believing that it’s wrong to be passionate or intense, it’s wrong to make personal choices based on our own intellect and experience, it’s wrong to lose interest, it’s wrong to care too much, it’s wrong to change your mind. What you’re thinking and feeling, IT’S ALL WRONG and it needs squelched.
You CAN embrace your thoughts, perspectives and emotions. You CAN adapt them any time you like. You CAN seek help if you are concerned about hurting yourself or others.
You have the power to live your life as you see fit. You do not have to label yourself to validate, enhance, excuse, apologize or conform. You do not have to be “depressed” to want company. You do not have to have an “anxiety disorder” to want support. You do not have to have “ADHD” to want something more attention-grabbing.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE AN ILLNESS TO WANT TO FEEL BETTER.
*Yes, it can be argued that not all instances of mental illness are included in the NIMH statistics, but that can be said of any statistic that doesn’t literally examine and evaluate every person possibly impacted. I know of no study or reporting system that has evaluated every person in the US. The stats in the Mental Health Awareness Campaign are taken directly from the National Institute of Mental Health. www.nimh.nih.gov
If you feel that you may have a mental illness, please reach out to someone. Talk with a friend or contact a professional. There is ALWAYS someone who cares about you and can help.