Destigmatising Mental Illness

‘Wet ‘n Wild’ painting in acrylic by my daughter

I struggled with ongoing emotional difficulties most of my life, until with the right sort of treatment, and a momentous breakdown, things suddenly cleared and I no longer had to live with the depressive symptoms. I’d always linked my anxiety and depression to early trauma during a difficult childhood. Then in 2003,  my adolescent daughter was diagnosed with Bipolar Illness, which has a large genetic component.  The psychiatrist who gave the diagnosis said hers was severe: Bipolar 1.

Bipolar Disorder used to be called “Manic Depression”, and is characterised by huge swings between psychotic (manic) episodes and clinical depression. Because of its seriousness, sufferers are usually hospitalised and treated with mood stabilisers and anti-depressants, as well as with anti-psychotic drugs, at least in the initial phases of the illness. This is to prevent suicide during the depressive phase, which is often intense and long-lasting. Not so long ago, sufferers might have been placed in institutions for long periods, and given primitive electro-shock treatments. With the more recent availability of pharmaceutical drugs that work, the prognosis is a lot better for sufferers, especially if diagnosed early.

Many well-known artistic and sporting Australians are secretly receiving ongoing treatment for emotional disorders, including Bipolar Illness, so as to be able to carry on in their chosen fields. Mental illness often strikes  artistic and creative types, because they are operating closely within their emotional energy fields. Driven sporting athletes make up  another cohort of potential sufferers. But because of the stigma associated with declaring yourself mentally ill, sufferers often choose not to reveal the truth about this.

There is so much more help these days, with both face-to-face and online programs, for those suffering from mental illness. Much more than when I had to face up to my own and my daughter’s problems. You no longer  have to become one of the sad statistics of suicides that we often read about in the paper today. “The Black Dog Institute” played a large role in supporting my daughter and helping her achieve her current state of ongoing health and happiness.

“She’ll grow out of it!” or “Pull up your socks!” are no way to react in the face of emotional disorders such as depression and anxiety. One of the symptoms of psychosis are extreme anger outbursts, often against loved-ones. But this is also true of neurosis and personality disorders. So a correct diagnosis is essential if a young person is exhibiting these behaviours.

Shame, because of the stigma associated with mental illness, is widespread in society today. This compounds the problem, as depressed individuals are often loathe to ask for and to accept help.  Many sufferers are initially against taking pharmaceutical drugs and prefer to self medicate with alcohol, which makes the symptoms worse. The other problem, of course, is the lack of appropriate facilities and health care support groups in many areas. And knowledge and understanding of the serious nature of clinical depression and bipolar illness are often sadly lacking in society.

I am passionate about making a difference in this situation, and I’m in the process of writing a book about my experience that focuses also on my daughter’s battle and victory over the illness. I hope to be able to post a segment of my book on my blog in the near future.