Let's Talk About....Mental Illness and Addiction
"Sometimes even to live is an act of courage"
"Addiction is the only prison where the locks are on the inside."
"Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it."
"It feels like everyone else is moving on with their lives while I am stuck here in this hole that I can't climb out of."
According to SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an estimated 43.6 million adults in the USA have to fight the daily struggle of a mental illness. Another 20.2 million adults abuse substances. Out of these two HUGE numbers, 7.9 million people are estimated to go through the living hell of both struggling through a mental illness and abusing substances.
Yet, this isn't talked about near the amount it should be in our country. As a whole, we have forgotten and/or just not cared about those that suffer in silence. This has got to end and we have to start talking.
Yes, mental illnesses suck. Yes, drug abuse suck. Talking about either or both of the topics is difficult, messy and uncomfortable....but for the sake of the almost 64 million people dealing with one or the other or both, we as a collective people MUST start an ongoing dialogue.
Count me guilty that when a mass shooting happens, the first thing I look at is the weapon. I strongly believe though many times, minus terrorist attacks, mental health is a second piece of the puzzle.
Can we stop and think about this for a second though, the statistics above do not consider the family members of those who are dealing with debilitating mental illnesses or drug abuse. If those people were included in the statistics, the number could possibly rise another 5 to 10 million people.
Yet the stigma surrounding both of these topics deem us as a people SILENT while everyone suffers privately.
I'm not hear to say I know what its like to suffer from a mental illness or addiction. Though mental illnesses run rampant in my family, I have to be honest and say that mild cases of depression here and there are all that I can actually claim for myself. What I can tell you though is I have witness suicides of family members who suffered from mental illness and/or addiction cause immense grief and sorrow. I can tell you that I personally know the living hell that the family members go through when someone refuses to get help for their drug addiction. I've watched mental illness and addiction tear families apart, and I blame a lot of that on the "don't talk about it" culture.
From observations of those in my family that have and some still are suffering from mental illness or addiction, this is what I can tell you.
These people seemed feel trapped. They seem to feel that their bodies are a prison. They are hopeless. They feel alone. They believe they aren't good enough or worthy enough to be cared about, especially not their illness or addiction. They feel like taking their life is the only way to cure anything. They feel like popping another pill is the only way to make it through the day. They feel like life is too much to handle, so they need to escape.
You can tell these people until you're blue in the face that they need help, but until they realize it for themselves, it isn't going to happen. Addiction and/or mental illness alters the sufferers reality. It consumes their every though and action. The consequences of the actions taken to fulfill the addiction or to ease the illness isn't in their thoughts. You can't really rationalize with that person because their world is often revolving around the illness and/or addiction.
What you can do though is love.
Every human being alive needs love. Everyone needs to know they are supported. Everyone needs to know they are important enough to fight for.
This doesn't mean you continue on in a toxic relationship. Sometimes love comes in the form of tough love. Ultimatums should always be last case scenario, never a first response but never off the table. Sometimes that is a wake up call but sometimes it can also make matters worse. I recently cut someone off for the time being and gave them an ultimatum to clean up and get sober or I will have to exit their life. This was by far one of the hardest decisions I had to make but after years of asking this someone to get help, it was a last case scenario. It is truly my last way of fighting for our relationship.
You can listen to them. Ask questions. Be genuinely interested in what they have to say. More often than not, sufferers of mental illness and addictions feel isolated. Be the person that cares enough to show them they are not alone. Fight for them and your relationship with them. If you are reading this and do not have a mental health illness or addiction, it does not mean you can't have compassion for those that do.
Those that suffer from mental health illness and/or drug addictions are not weak, and cannot just "get over it". Most of the time, it will take outside help and support. Be part of their team.
So America, I beg you. Now is the time. I know the world seems to be falling apart at the seams but for the sake of our own people, speak up. Please let us start diving into the messiness. Face first into the uncomfortable. Let us put a spotlight on addiction and mental illness. Almost 64 million people are suffering, the very least we can do is do our part. Let's get educated on the topics and start talking.
We can't keep quiet, it is literally killing people.
Suffering in silence is not only detrimental but feeds into the suffering.
Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our
lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not
nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the
experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave
enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of
our light. ~Brené Brown
"Addiction is the only prison where the locks are on the inside."
"Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it."
"It feels like everyone else is moving on with their lives while I am stuck here in this hole that I can't climb out of."
According to SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an estimated 43.6 million adults in the USA have to fight the daily struggle of a mental illness. Another 20.2 million adults abuse substances. Out of these two HUGE numbers, 7.9 million people are estimated to go through the living hell of both struggling through a mental illness and abusing substances.
Yet, this isn't talked about near the amount it should be in our country. As a whole, we have forgotten and/or just not cared about those that suffer in silence. This has got to end and we have to start talking.
Yes, mental illnesses suck. Yes, drug abuse suck. Talking about either or both of the topics is difficult, messy and uncomfortable....but for the sake of the almost 64 million people dealing with one or the other or both, we as a collective people MUST start an ongoing dialogue.Count me guilty that when a mass shooting happens, the first thing I look at is the weapon. I strongly believe though many times, minus terrorist attacks, mental health is a second piece of the puzzle.
Can we stop and think about this for a second though, the statistics above do not consider the family members of those who are dealing with debilitating mental illnesses or drug abuse. If those people were included in the statistics, the number could possibly rise another 5 to 10 million people.
Yet the stigma surrounding both of these topics deem us as a people SILENT while everyone suffers privately.
I'm not hear to say I know what its like to suffer from a mental illness or addiction. Though mental illnesses run rampant in my family, I have to be honest and say that mild cases of depression here and there are all that I can actually claim for myself. What I can tell you though is I have witness suicides of family members who suffered from mental illness and/or addiction cause immense grief and sorrow. I can tell you that I personally know the living hell that the family members go through when someone refuses to get help for their drug addiction. I've watched mental illness and addiction tear families apart, and I blame a lot of that on the "don't talk about it" culture.
From observations of those in my family that have and some still are suffering from mental illness or addiction, this is what I can tell you.
These people seemed feel trapped. They seem to feel that their bodies are a prison. They are hopeless. They feel alone. They believe they aren't good enough or worthy enough to be cared about, especially not their illness or addiction. They feel like taking their life is the only way to cure anything. They feel like popping another pill is the only way to make it through the day. They feel like life is too much to handle, so they need to escape.
You can tell these people until you're blue in the face that they need help, but until they realize it for themselves, it isn't going to happen. Addiction and/or mental illness alters the sufferers reality. It consumes their every though and action. The consequences of the actions taken to fulfill the addiction or to ease the illness isn't in their thoughts. You can't really rationalize with that person because their world is often revolving around the illness and/or addiction.
What you can do though is love.
Every human being alive needs love. Everyone needs to know they are supported. Everyone needs to know they are important enough to fight for.
This doesn't mean you continue on in a toxic relationship. Sometimes love comes in the form of tough love. Ultimatums should always be last case scenario, never a first response but never off the table. Sometimes that is a wake up call but sometimes it can also make matters worse. I recently cut someone off for the time being and gave them an ultimatum to clean up and get sober or I will have to exit their life. This was by far one of the hardest decisions I had to make but after years of asking this someone to get help, it was a last case scenario. It is truly my last way of fighting for our relationship.
You can listen to them. Ask questions. Be genuinely interested in what they have to say. More often than not, sufferers of mental illness and addictions feel isolated. Be the person that cares enough to show them they are not alone. Fight for them and your relationship with them. If you are reading this and do not have a mental health illness or addiction, it does not mean you can't have compassion for those that do.
Those that suffer from mental health illness and/or drug addictions are not weak, and cannot just "get over it". Most of the time, it will take outside help and support. Be part of their team.
So America, I beg you. Now is the time. I know the world seems to be falling apart at the seams but for the sake of our own people, speak up. Please let us start diving into the messiness. Face first into the uncomfortable. Let us put a spotlight on addiction and mental illness. Almost 64 million people are suffering, the very least we can do is do our part. Let's get educated on the topics and start talking.
We can't keep quiet, it is literally killing people.
Suffering in silence is not only detrimental but feeds into the suffering.
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