A Deeper Look at a Misconception

                  I want to spend a little more time on one of the misconceptions about mental illness that I addressed on Monday. It is often falsely believed that people with mental illness cannot live productive and fulfilling lives. Different mental illnesses impact individuals differently. People respond to treatment differently. As a result, there is no specific way of life for people with mental illness. Life might look very different for someone with major depression than it does for someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Depression might express itself very differently in people. 

                  I have been very open about my diagnosis, major depression and generalized anxiety disorder. These illnesses have been a part of my life since I was in my early teens. They have colored how I see the world and how I function in the world, but most of the time they have not stopped me from functioning. Have they caused difficulties for me? Yes, often, but I still function. When I am at my best, I can live with minimal disruption due to my illness. At my worst times I have had to take time off work for treatment. I worked for 26 years as a special education teacher. It wasn’t always easy. There were days when my depression clouded my abilities. There were times when I had to take a day off. Sadly, because of the misconceptions and stigma surrounding mental illness, I had to lie about why I was taking the day off work. I couldn’t say my depression was overwhelming me. Instead, I would have to feign a cold or flu symptoms. 

                  I remember having a conversation with an administrator who I had mistakenly trusted. I told her about my depression. Her response shocked me. She told me I had to turn off my depression when I was at work. What the heck does that mean? I had no response for her. Depression cannot be turned on and off at will. It is not a water faucet. I learned in that moment to not trust administrators with the truth about my mental illness. 

It is difficult for me to accept how mental illness and physical illness are viewed so differently in the workplace. When I was diagnosed with cancer no one told me to turn off my cancer. Why then is it seen as okay to expect me to just magically stop my depression? When I had to take time off because my depression had reached a point where I was not able to work, I couldn’t tell anyone the reason I was out of work. “I am sick” was my answer when asked why I was out. I learned it is better not to be open about my mental health in some situations.  This shouldn’t happen. We should be able to take time off for our mental health.

                  The misconception that mental illness is something we can just push into the background is hurtful and prevents people from seeking the treatment they need. While not all of us with mental illness are able to work, many of us are able to do so. We may require some accommodations, like the ability to take a couple hours off for a therapy or psychiatric appointment. People with mental illness are productive members of society.

                  Mental illness affects us, but it does not always incapacitate us. We need only look at some of the people who have spoken about mental health in recent years. Some are Olympic champions. Some are successful in business or health care. Others are authors or entertainers. They have a platform that they can use to garner positive attention for mental health. I am grateful for their openness. It helps all of us.

                  There is no one picture of life with mental illness. Some people may not be able to work or live independently. Others need time for treatments. Still, others can work and lead what might be called a “normal” life. Although, I don’t believe there is a normal life. I think the most important thing to remember is that we are all different. Mental illness affects each of us differently. In some moments we may need more help than in other moments. That is okay. What is important is to accept that we have an illness, but that illness does not define us. It is a misconception to believe that people with mental illness live a certain way. We are as unique as anyone else. Our lives are impacted in different ways at different times. Still, we have value. We are more than our mental illness.