#17: Is mental illness really an illness?

Our 17th prompt comes from Wanderer. They ask:

Is mental illness really an illness?

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Wanderer,

Welcome back! Your question is timely, given that May is Mental Health Month, as you mentioned in your submission (well, at least in the USA). This is a question that many people who don’t quite understand mental illness ask, either out of ignorance or callousness, so it’s great that I get to address it here.

We have no problem believing and empathizing with people who are suffering from illnesses that cause them physical pain or harm. Many times, we can see a physical manifestation of the illness in question, and tell that the person is unwell. We can carry out lab tests and/or scans, and point to a reason the person is suffering. Very quickly, the person is given time to get better, and everyone understands. On the other hand, we have a tough time believing people whose illness is psychiatric; illness that does not manifest on the body; illness that we can’t prove through lab tests and scans; illness whose measurement can be said to be subjective. Few people take it seriously when a person suffering from a mental illness asks for time off. Because many have not experienced it, they don’t think it’s real.

This illness requires us to believe what other people tell us, with no way to verify it for ourselves. It’s almost as if an illness doesn’t exist if we don’t believe it does. It’s almost as if illness is a trust issue. Because mental illnesses primarily affect thoughts, emotions and behaviour, people think the persons suffering from them choose to be that way, because these are factors believed to be in our control. That’s why you hear things like: “You are depressed? Think positive! Choose to be happy!” or “Me, when I’m feeling sad, I just think happy thoughts and it goes away!” As if depression is the same as momentary sadness. I wonder, if it were that easy, would so many people still be in so much suffering?

I firmly believe that mental illness is illness. Just because I do not experience it does not change this, and I think the suffering Olympics we put mentally ill people through are reprehensible at best. Just because we do not see mental illness or experience it does not make it any less real than physically manifesting illness. How about listening to people who suffer from mental illness for a change, instead of telling them what we think about something we barely understand?

I look forward to the day we can approach them with equal levels of seriousness, and empathize with people suffering in both ways the same. I look forward to the day we dedicate more resources to the creation of awareness around mental health, and to the treatment and care of mentally ill people, especially in Kenya.

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This post is part of a daily writing experiment that I’m running for a year. I’d love it if you took part! ?

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