A Note from a Crazy

Picture of the Day: 

Lettuce Lake Park

Quote of the Day: 

"And the goddess herself, glowing like moonlight, 

Rushed over the sand, sweeping them on

And stiffening their hearts, so that for each of them

To die in battle was sweeter than going home."

-The Iliad, Book 2, Lines 481-484

For starters, take a look at this:

For seconds, let me say this: I am a bipolar depressant. I have been plagued by the mental affliction for as long as I can remember. I am on medications that are beginning to work now, and most people I know would say that I have made worlds of improvement since last year. I, more than the average person, know what kind of stigmas go along with being mentally ill.

Now, back to the video. 

What?! Really? You're going to show that and expect it to make everything better?!

Let's face it: people think anyone with a mental disease is crazy. Maniacal. Ready for an asylum. Need proof? Let me recount a little story.

Just a few weeks ago I was sitting in class for Early American Literature. We were reading "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards. (I do not recommend it, by the way.) The teacher makes some sort of comment about the fact that nowadays, the historians believe Edwards suffered from some sort of bipolar disorder. A kid in the back of the class pipes up, "Well, obviously. He is crazy!"

I said nothing, because the rest of the class laughed in agreement.

I felt utterly alone; like a girl with a deep and dark secret that I should be ashamed of and kept hidden at all costs. Still, all the while the rest of humanity knows something just isn't quite right about you. 

And that little video is supposed to help?

First of all, they listed a total of four illnesses. There are more than four illnesses. It is like someone said, "Hey. Schizophrenia is cool. Yeah, they're normal human beings. But those anxiety disorder people. Yeah, they're weird." And for me personally? What about bipolar depression? It had bipolar disorder and depression. Why not that one? Is that one a bit too crazy for them?

Logistically, I understand that not every disease known to man could be mentioned in one minute and ten seconds, but schizophrenia and bipolar disorder were in there twice. There could have been a better use of time. 

I also didn't like that "better half" business. Just because someone has a disease doesn't mean that they are a lesser half of anything. It could have easily read, "husband" or "wife", or, here is a thought, "lover". It would be nice, as someone with a disease, to see that people can still love you. 

I cannot even begin to describe the number of nights I have sat alone in the dark and thought about how as soon as a guy finds out about my disease they will want nothing to do with me; that I am physically unlovable because I am difficult. 

More than this, if bipolar disorder and depression have better halves, if you have both do you need a better whole? 

Maybe I am over reacting. But really. I did not enjoy seeing that come on the television at all. Yes, someone needs to do something about the way people like that are treated. But let's do it in a way that makes sense, that doesn't make the afflicted feel like a "less-than-human" problem.

On a brighter note, this song has been stuck in my head:

And I haven't even liked Keith Urban's new stuff! This song is great!