Community Questions (article 7)

Community Questions (article 7)
by Joni Jones

There are people who love the winter and can easily find beauty, comfort and optimism in the cold, serene, white covering commonly known as snow. There are also people like myself, who shut down seasonally. They do not function well in the cold, dread the news reports that anticipate snow, become sad and fatigued until the season comes where the sun shines, the birds chirp loudly and the winter clothes are peeled and stored away.

Winter depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is more common than one might think. In fact some might not even be aware of their own mood changes for quite some time. They may have the ability to ignore the changes when symptoms are so subtle. There may come a time though when the changes begin to catch up and ignoring symptoms is no longer a viable option.

With 1 out of 5 individuals being affected with mental illness each year, many of us could benefit by paying more attention to our changes; especially if there comes a time where we see regression or stagnation within ourselves. There is such a stigma associated with mental illness and when you think about it, with so many affected people it really seems quite silly.

When society hears that an individual has diabetes, heart disease, or eczema, they may feel empathy for the person, but they usually don’t think so negatively about them as compared to someone diagnosed with a mental disorder. Attitudes need to change and they need to change immediately. Whether the organ affected by disease or injury involves the pancreas, heart, skin or brain they are all just organs within our body.

Where and when did we separate the brain and give it this stigma? Changing the way we think is the key factor needed to promote recovery. Changing the stigma starts with those affected. After recognition of symptoms, admit that you are “1 in 5.” If you hear people referring to mental illness that supports the stigma now associated with mental illness, start the education by saying “it’s just another organ.”

Affected individuals can easily deny the impact a mental disorder can have on their life simply by the coping mechanisms found within the very same affected organ. Coping mechanisms known as denial, minimizing and even rationalization. Once attitudes change, people will seek treatment who currently don’t, and people will engage in the plan of care without feeling guilty, ashamed, or fearful on how they may be perceived or that they may even lose their jobs.

People who are facing diagnosed challenges and are adhering to their prescribed plan of care should not be the ones that are punished. We reinforce people by adding to the stigma or ignoring such a problem exists NOT to seek the needed care. We then are shocked, and sometimes left dazed and confused when a crisis occurs in our own backyard.

With 1 out of 5 people being affected each year please know it is in our front yard, backyard, swimming pools and even at our kitchen table. If we want to stop the stigma then we need to change our attitudes and give our support. Become educated. Educate your community, organizations and even yourself. Visit www.mentalhealthfirstaidinstructors.com and schedule your training today.