Erasing the Social Stigma~

              Good afternoon readers…..Im sitting here reflecting, thinking of what my journey with Bipolar has been like. I’m moved to tears, because I know what living with that monster inside is like.
Then I realize how far I’ve come. I know that one of my purposes on this earth besides Serving God is to   make a change, and I can do that by raising awareness and helping remove the stigma of what society thinks of those who struggle with this.

              So that’s my topic that I want to address. Social Stigma. Even the title is intimidating. Why a disease of the mind is is looked upon in today’s society, the way it is? Think about that for a moment. The human mind is so intriguing, it’s so complicated, so misunderstood yet so beautiful. Society is so afraid of what they can’t see, or in reality what they can’t understand. People think that those who deal with mental health can’t function. They think we have nothing to offer and that we can’t be productive members of society. That’s their lack of   understanding, and the lack of knowledge.

              It’s heart breaking when you hear about someone who has dealt with depression and none wants to befriend them, as if those who come in contact with them are afraid, but of what? They are afraid of what they don’t understand, the fear of the unknown. We all can relate on some level, if you have to make a big life decision and you can’t see the outcome and its going to involve some big changes, your fearful of what you don’t know. But what a difference it will make, if you weigh those options, you do research, you seek guidance for wisdom from someone you trust, and then the   process is not quite as scary.

                  Part of erasing the stigma is raising more awareness, putting faces behind this disease. Yes society knows bipolar exists, but what they don’t always know is how a person with mental illness can function like WE DO, who can be productive members of society LIKE WE ARE. Who can see their dreams come true and who can be wonderful parents and great friends, and just all around great people. What society needs to realize is its real and though it affects the mind, its no different than other diseases, because real individuals suffer in silence because they are afraid of what others will think. Help me raise the standards higher, but showing our world that bipolar is not something to be fearful of, all we ask is to be treated with Love and respect and  given a chance to be understood and Accepted without reserve