World Mental Health Day... now there's a thought, huh? In other words, mental health challenges are a global issue -- imagine that! And, why not, when statistics prove that 1 in 5 people have a diagnosable mental illness at some point in their lifetime. This year, the World Mental Health Day Project was an education campaign created by the World Federation for Mental Health. The Project is entitled "Depression: A Global Crisis" and you can read the full pdf by clicking here. I think that the story behind the development of this day is important too and you can read about it's inception 20 years ago by checking out the WFMH Facebook page.Of course I am always in support of specific diagnosis awareness, but as most of you know, I have a preference for promoting the elimination of stigma that surrounds mental health diagnosis and treatment. Why? Because I still run into people everyday that believe mental health disorders to be hooey mumbo jumbo, because they believe anyone can decide to pull themselves up and not be mentally ill anymore! WHAT!?!?! And that's all because of a lack of mental health education along with a culture that shuns those who are afflicted.
How do I know it's not mumbo jumbo? Just today, as I was floating down the river of Twitter information from my favorite mental health organizations (check out who I follow) I ran across two articles that drive this point home. One was titled "Gene tied to Obesity, Depression, ADHD" and the other was called "New de novo Genetic Mutations in Schizophrenia Identified." (click titles to read the articles) Just the titles without the articles scream genetic markers, not just 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps' behaviors. Yet, how much proof does our society need?
Even though I could ramble incessantly about this point, I will refrain and just finish with these thoughts: Change starts with you. Acceptance starts with you. You influence others.
"Be the change you want to see in the world." -- Mahatma Gandhi
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