I AM NOT MY MENTAL ILLNESS

Hello Maniacs! Happy Friday! I hope you guys have had a great, goal-smashing, relaxing, yet productive week! My week has been quite well! Still trying new things, thinking about pursuing some major things down the line, so we can all be dreamers and doers together. Today though, I have had a bug in my ear that has been buzzing incessantly for the last few days. This time last year, I was still recovering from my automobile accident, and with that accident I was prescribed additional medication to combat PTSD and depression. There were so many dark days that many did not know about. I was so alone, but when I was not isolated, I would do my best to socialize with what group of friends that were still active in my life–which were very, very few. I had a situation around that time when someone had done something to tick me off. Rationally, this person’s actions warranted my response. But this person tried to blame my accident, my medication change and my mood swings as a justification that I was overreacting. I want to share a short and sweet response to anyone who does this to their friends, family or associates alike. DO NOT DO THIS.

Dear People: friends, family, associates of those who are mentally ill: before you use that person’s disorder as a weapon against them, gaslighting them into thinking they are crazy or overreacting in certain situations, make sure you are not the one who did something to warrant such an emotional response.

I cannot tell you how many times I have had someone do me wrong, and they knew they did me wrong, yet when I confront them about it, all of a sudden I am paranoid, too sensitive, asked if my medication was working and other off-color, offensive bullshit–yes, I curse on occasion. This is an awful thing to do to someone that you claim is your friend or family that you care for.

I am someone who happens to suffer from mental illness. I AM NOT my mental illness. Speaking for myself, I am a human being who has coping skills in place to make damn sure that I am not functioning in a state of impropriety to the point that logic goes out the window when assessing the inconveniences that life bestows upon me. Are there situations where you literally did nothing wrong or said anything and your friend attacks you? This can be a opportunity to ask them what is the real problem. If your friend or family member who usually is one way with you all of a sudden switches up out of nowhere, well then you may have a valid point in bringing up–in a tasteful manner–how their mental state is.

For the rest of you who use your friends or family members’ mental illness as a weapon of mass destruction against them at all times, even when you are the cause of their emotional response, stop doing that! That is not fair to the person suffering from their condition, because now you may have caused them to feel even more paranoid or anxious. Lucky for me, I can tell the difference. As a matter of fact, I will not even be as social if I know that I am not feeling as mentally strong on certain days. Self-care comes in great handy to bring balance to my emotional and mental health.

All of this being said, let me reiterate and additionally say a few things:

• I AM NOT MY MENTAL ILLNESS.
• MY FEELINGS ARE VALID.
• I DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND HEARD, MENTALLY ILL OR OTHERWISE.
• PEOPLE THAT USE YOUR ILLNESS AGAINST YOU ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS IN THE FIRST PLACE. THEY MAY BE THE ENVIRONMENT THAT IS MAKING YOU SICK. LEAVE THEM BE. 

Anyways, now that I have gotten that off my chest, Maniacs, I ask you to be kind to one another, hear each other out before you cast major judgements. Take care of you and those you love and never be afraid to ask for help if you ever need it. I love you as always! Chat with you guys again soon.

–CAM ❤