The stigma surrounding mental illness

							Why is there such a stigma surrounding mental illness when almost 58
MILLION people suffer from this disease in any given year?       We have
sprung a far distance in the medical field, yet psychological ailments
are still significantly taboo to most. I don't get it! If we are going to
help the mentally ill in this country, and indeed the world at large,
wouldn't we need to expose and treat the relevant conditions? If we
choose to bury them beneath the dusty carpet surely those who suffer will
continue to live in denial, continue to live in pain, or feel the shame
society projects. There is no shame to mental illness.


  I have suffered, I have communicated with people who suffer, I have
listened to their tragic yet empowering stories, and I have gained an
enduring admiration for their strength. Some felt banished by society
because they attempted suicide after living a life of hell, others
because they were sexually abused as children and are now suffering
extreme consequences. There are those who are oblivious and fail to
comprehend why. Perhaps it is genetic, a chemical imbalance, or it could
have been a tragedy, again-¦. there is no shame. So let us discuss this -
œTaboo-• subject and shed some light instead of turning our backs.
FACTS FACTS FACTS      According to the National Mental Institute of
Health an estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older -” about
one in four adults -” suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a
given year. This figure translates to 57.7 million people. The World
Health Organization reports that four of the 10 leading causes of
disability in the US and other developed countries are mental disorders.
By 2020, Major Depressive illness will be the leading cause of disability
in the world for women and children. It is time to unveil the stigma!
Depression and related mental ailments can be treated effectively.
Many books have been written about depression, each educating us on how a
specific ailment can be treated, others offering remarkable insight into
the phenomenon of our biochemistry. There is one book however, that
provides an alternative approach to mental illness through the eyes of
those who have suffered. Perhaps you can relate, perhaps you are
intrigued, perhaps you seek education? Either way, you might gain
something from reading this book.      -˜Dying to Live, confessions of
suicide' is so titled because the author is one of the millions of people
who had fallen prey to a suicide attempt. It happens! It happens to 1.4
million Americans a year. BUT.....It CAN be prevented! It's time.       To
learn more visit: http://www.unveilingthestigma.com


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