Awareness game

 "She doesn't look like she has a mental illness. What made her suicidal anyway? Did she broke up with her boyfriend? How can she even have the audacity to even think about suicide anyway? Maybe she's just over-reacting from stress. Or what if she's just attention seeking?"

In truth, there are many other words that are being thrown at when it comes to the topic of mental health. However, I seldom blame them. It's not like we didn't try to give awareness, sometimes it is ourselves as patients that give the distorted perspectives and perception regarding mental health.

Haaa! I know you're eager to comment me and condemn on this!

But I don't mind actually, and this is also the reality even patients can't accept. Stigma doesn't only happen to and from people, but it can also happen within the fighters and warriors of this battle.

I prefer to talk face-to-face when it comes to something that is clear in reality rather than those of hidden ones.

So, I have a few points :

1) Mental health issues discriminate no one. Anyone can have it. When I was warded in the psychiatric ward, I have met so many people. There were even those with the tile of 'datin' and associate professor. This goes to show that no matter what their intellectual status or even social status, no one can guarantee that they won't have a mental illness. That doesn't mean that they are immuned from having any mental illness.

2) There is no specific face for someone who has a mental health problem. A person may have a mental illness and yet portrays as normal. That is why there are statements like, "Eh! But she looks okay!" whenever something happen to the person. That is why we need to always be kind and always ask the most simplest question as "How are you?". It helps them a lot.

3) This is the most bitter and painful thing to take, even for myself.. Those who have mental illness must not let their emotions get out of control just because people do know understand them, their mental illness. Sounds easy, right? Because people often begin to create a perception regarding mental health through the eyes of the patients. I don't do well with patients who share specifically in details about what happens when they are suicidal. It's triggering, and there might be a perception that those with mental illness ultimately die in the end. We need to give a positive view regarding mental disorders and mental health itself. Don't get me wrong. It's okay to share your experiences, but keep the most triggering things to yourself. Don't tell people how many pills you want to take, how do you tie a noose to hang yourself, where to jump. Honestly, those are the most triggering things for people like me, and I have a lot of complains saying that things like that has disrupted their perception regarding humanity that exist in patients. I sound like I'm babbling without any cause, but who cares!

4) There will always be a stigma no matter how strong your awareness game is. I, too, sometimes feel like giving up being in this world of mental health. To be scolded, condemned, and thrown at with hurtful words, those are like a norm of my advocacy life. In the end, it ate myself and I had to stop myself just for awhile. Isn't it scary? But that is the sacrifice an advocate has to endure. (May all will be ease for you guys!)

5) People who have a mental health problems are no less human than you are. There is always this distorted perception regarding those with mental illness. Eh! It doesn't have to be mental illness! Those who are having a hard time managing their stress are also those who are belittled! Sometimes we are too immersed in ourselves until that we forget that we are living a life filled with other people. And human are created in full variety :

"Human beings, We created you all from a male and a female, and you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another, Verily the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most God-fearing of you. Surely Allah All-Knowing, All-Aware." [Surah al-Hujurat; 49:13]

I'm done making my point here. So feel free to comment, condemn, to critic, and to share views. Besaue a healthy discussion is a discussion of the variety that we need to embrace and accepted.

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