So- I was recently wondering. Mental disorders are real diseases that are approved by doctors and stuff. Then why people treat us like we're some lower level than people who suffer from other, physical diseases. When someone suffers from for example- a cancer. People always treat those ones as some pity object, sending all the love and support for them. And then there's us. Personally I got laughed at for my mental problems hundred of times, and that's not fucking fair.
Look I worked as a scribe in an oncology clinic, was a member of the oncology research for four years in medical school, and president the last year. Even wrote a paper and presented it at conference on someone's treatment with metastatic breast cancer. So I think I can comment on this.
I spent a good portion of my life with the goal of becoming an oncologist. I also say this because I was in the room with a whole lot cancer patients and watched them. I saw the very best of people in the worst possible situation. I say strength, resiliency, and you know even empathy. The first cancer patient I saw in a medical capacity wasn't even in an oncology clinic but family practice during a summer internship. A guy with terminal cancer gave me his time. Blew my mind. This man knows his time is running out. His clock is going to hit 0s soon. Yet he is going to give me some of his time. He could have complained got his appointment done sooner instead of letting me learn how to take a patient history. Could've enjoyed more of that Australian sunshine.
First of all pity and support are two different things. Pity is basically you feeling superior to someone. You don't want to be pitied. I'm not sure someone looking at you and going that person's going to die and soon and there isn't a thing they could do about it is what you want either. You know maybe it is one thing to choose to. But wanting desperately and clinging with everything to life and not having the ability that's end stage cancer. If you got cancer particularly one where you knew you were going to die. That choice was gone. Could you deal with that. That part of you that wants to live.... Clearly it exists in some capacity or you wouldn't be here. I don't think this analogy would work anywhere but here but it is essentially the difference between sex and rape. That element of control no longer exists.
In terms of your question the answer is I don't know what would happen. You would be treated. You would get that. Is it attention you want? You'd be in and out of doctor's offices. It would get really old very fast. Do you want to be accepted and be valued as a person. Cancer is not going to lead to that. Do you want a community? You may be a token member. If you decided to maybe you could be more. Best case scenario you are still you as long as possible. It guess it depends what you want. In all likelihood you would most likely not get what you are looking for. You would be going this is even more unfair. It is not going to cure your problems.
I've told my story on here. So I will say this about myself. I don't feel guilty for the choices I made vis a vis medical school. I made the right or right enough choices. The thing that I do feel guilty about is in terms of my life the things I want from it the things I spent every night dreaming about the things I would've done basically anything for short of selling my soul or committing a crime yes I wanted to be a doctor that bad. The opportunities, ability to get to those things, etc.. you get the point are gone, stolen. I basically just exist. I did a lot of paperwork and admin stuff as a scribe. The one thing I never did was fill in when someone died. I genuinely didn't know. People would come in I would see them and they just wouldn't show up again. I didn't work every day of the week so maybe they got shifted, maybe they died, maybe a miracle happened. I genuinely didn't know. I do wonder if this led the doctor to killing himself and taking that upon himself. I was only told when one patient died in the clinic.
On topic I saw so many people fighting tooth and nail to live. I saw people with lives. People who cared. People who loved them. Things to do and people to see. I have none of those things. If I died tonight (I'm not going to) there is nobody, nothing, just nothing really. If I got cancer it would be just and fair not because I am a bad person but in life there's literally nothing for me. The things that make life life are out of my grasp and gone in the wind, stolen. Why do I get to live when any of them should still be alive. That bothers me.
This became rather self-centered so I want to reiterate my point. No you don't want cancer, no it won't change your life, you likely have people, things, opportunities, etc... That could be conduits to change and actually getting what you want. Other communities exist which would be about the only positive (not a part I am just assuming it is) that don't mean getting a deadly disease.
