While speaking about the tragic shooting in CT, in the above
clip, Dr. Jennifer Ashton begins “…there are no words to describe what must
have been going on, on so many levels...” and yes that is true. This shooting
was horrific and indescribably tragic. But despite how horrible this event, I
found that my attention was diverted away from the story at hand when (54 seconds in) Dr.
Jennifer Ashton stated “…this is the face of mental illness..."
Simply stating that I was deeply offended by this does not
even scratch the surface of what that statement has caused me to feel. I am truly
saddened by the fact that such a general and close-minded statement was made on
such a broad platform. And such ignorant statements are the reason why there is
so much stigma attached to metal illness and those that suffer from it. Statements
like that are why so many people that are already struggling with the burden of
mental illness are living in fear, fear of being judged or discriminated
against simply because they have an illness which they are no more responsible
for than someone that gets cancer. This only goes to show just how far we away
we are from eliminating the stigma associated with mental illness.
In 2004 I was diagnosed with Bipolar I. For many years my
family and I struggled with this illness and all the stigma, pain, and loss
that came with it. After extensive medication treatment, therapy, and
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) I am proud to say that I have been stable for
years now. I was finally able to finish school and begin my dream career.
Mental illness for the most part is faceless and many of us
living with it are forced hide it away from the world so not to be treated in a
negative manner. So, by Dr. Jennifer Ashton stating “this is the face of mental
illness” she has reinforced the true face of mental illness and that is stigma.
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