How much do average people know about mental illness?

[noname223]

I am not really stable this evening. I have some paranoid thoughts I might share it in another thread. But first this one. One of my delusions is that I think the people around me (for example in college) recognize that I am mentally ill.

I had this thought once in an extreme way. I was once very paranoid at college. I openly talked with some people about insane bullying delusions. I thought everyone of my peers had noticed it. I was very loud when I talked about it. I think some people had knowledge for sure. The once with whom I explicitly talked about it..some have understood that I am ill. But most did not give a fuck. Most people ignored it and found it kind of funny. I had the delusion everyone would bully me in the worst way (which was not true). One incident was so funny. There was this dude I liked him. I collapsed in front of him. Talked about really insane shit. The next day he said wow you had a nervous breakdown (no illness) yesterday is everything fine again? Like it was so obvious that I am mentally ill and he just catagorized it as a normal nervous breakdown. Most people don't know anything about mental illness. This is at least my conclusion. If they know about something it might be depression. But about bipolar or psychosis many only know stereotypes. I mean many people think being schizophrenic means having multiple personalites. I even met people who were schizophrenic who had this thought.

This all triggered me extremely. The thoughts about who has noticed my illness. I also interacted with women in embarrassing ways during my psychotic episode. I felt EXTREMELY ashamed about that afterwards (I think on an objective scale it was not that extremely cringey but the shame afterwards is also pathological). It is normal to feel embarrassed after a manic episode. It almost drove me to kill myself. If I did not go to a clinic I might would be dead already. I think I cannot cope with another crash after the next manic episode. This why I am already planning my suicide in case this happens.

Solely these thoughts make me quite suicidal. Yeah but back to the topic. I think many people don't have a clue about mental illness. Many only know stereotypes. Maybe depression and anxiety disorder are more present than other conditions. Especially with schizophrenia, psychosis and bipolar I have made some nasty experiences. People are doubting your sanity quite fast. This is at least my personal experience. But I had also some positive. When you tell people you have depression/ or that you are mentally ill most people act like "oh that is bad, that is really bad". But often there are no more comments. Most people live in their own bubble. Many don't want to be confronted with too much negativity. I try to differentiate with the people who act like "oh that is horrible" with people who really have empathy and compassion. I think I am quite good about assessing who is really compassionate. To these people I can talk openly. I try to keep it a secret in front of other people. Some people are not judgmental. But they are rather the minority in my personal experience. This is why I like the empathetic people even way more. It is a very good deed not being judgmental about something you barely know anything about.

I am thankful for my good friends and that I also have made some positive experiences. However also got really nasty comments and replies. I only feel disdain for those people. And I try to think of them as scum. Only scum makes fun about mentally ill/vulnerable people. People who do that are trash and pathetic. They don't deserve our attention.

How much do you think know the average people about mental illness? Do they mostly only know stereotypes?

 

[onlyanimalsaregood]

I think that, unfortunately, there is still a lot of taboo around psychological illnesses, even though more and more people are suffering from them.

I think people who have never experienced it have a hard time understanding it because it's not a disease that is palpable to the eye.

It's much easier to have empathy and compassion for someone who, for example, has a broken leg or has cancer, because the suffering is observable.

Therefore, people devalue psychological illnesses and think we're exaggerating or making it up. They think we're weak and lazy.

As such, although some people are more understanding than others, only those who have had a psychological illness or have been able to observe family members or someone close to them dealing with one can really understand what it's like to live with it.

It's just my opinion. It's worth what it's worth.

 

[outatime_85]

Then when those people cash out permanently, those same people who call people with mental health issues weak, lazy, etc., sit around coffee tables saying "Why didn't they ask for help?" or "I wish I would have known," etc.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to notice when a loved one hasn't showered, shaved, or washed her hair, etc., is sleeping for twelve hours, or keeps easy-to-eat food in their room so they don't have to deal with the world and people unless absolutely necessary.

Not everyone handles the world and all its shades of unkindness with a chin up and keep punching attitude. Some people break and let it be known that they are broken, and then some people hide their brokenness with money, etc., but eventually, whatever mask one wears shatters, and how you really feel becomes known.

Then when the mask crumbles, you find out who really is your friend, who really cares, how many walk away, etc.

As for the U.S., society and the government know that mental health is a real issue. Look at how the U.S. Mental Health Systems Act of 1980 legislation was handled.