How To Live With Mental Illness

 

Mental Illness, How to Cope

 

If you broke your arm, people would feel sorry for you and sign your cast. You would be all right. If you cut yourself, you would have a bandage and people would do the same thing.

 

If you have a broken mind, you can expect to be avoided and treated differently from other people. People will think of you as different and not normal. This is because what is normal is judged by many people, and it may not be accurate.

 

After ten years of being abused, I became homeless. This made it hard to keep my mind. It was a long journey to find it again. . . and the struggle to keep it continues every day.

 

If you are a mentally ill person, it is your responsibility to take care of yourself and stay healthy. You have the right to do what is necessary to stay well and participate in the outside world. You also have the right to be treated with compassion and respect.

 

Now I know that I am sick. I also know that it is dangerous for me to have these things around. But when I tried to explain this to her, she got upset. She cried and acted like she was the victim. I think I was right to tell her, and a compassionate person would have accepted the situation.

 

I need to be careful about who I spend time with. If someone is not doing well, it can be a bad choice for me. If I have family or friends who live with me, I need to protect myself from upsetting situations.

 

No matter what, I always mentally prepare myself before going outside. I make sure I have eaten and will not have low blood sugar. I also try to avoid any dangers that might be out there for me. By doing this, I can usually function without anyone realizing it's a struggle.

 

If you do not use safeguards, people may treat you like a child or someone who is not important. I am very serious about the rights of mentally ill people, disabled people, and other marginalized groups. I am appalled by how "normal" people can treat those who are different from them.

 

It is important to help ill people whenever possible. People used to go to psychiatric hospitals, but now those are rare. The treatment of ill people is often a hit and miss.

 

If you take medication, it is very important that you take it. You need to do this so that you can be as independent as possible. Not taking medication can make the world a very difficult place for those who need it to function. I feel sorry for the many people I see on the street who are not able to care for themselves.

 

If you know someone who is mentally ill, be kind and understanding. Try to accept the things they need to do in order to stay okay. There is no one way to act when someone is mentally ill, so just try to be as normal as possible around them.

 

Some famous artists and writers were "mentally ill". This may mean that they thought differently than other people. Mental illnesses are real and are caused by chemicals in the brain. If you think you need help, go to any doctor and ask for their recommendations.