30 Day Challenge - Day 18

Sunday 14th September 2014

03:57pm

Day 18

What do you wish people would understand in regards to mental illness and/or mental health?

I wish people would realise it's not something which you can snap out of and get over.  What I've found harder is the view many people have when you have been in hospital over your mental health and then think just because you are home things are automatically okay again.

If anything been in hospital (in my opinion) was the easy part.  Getting back home is when things do get harder as people's expectations are that you are well and there is nothing to worry about.  As much as I hated being in hospital it was safe.  The same people came in and out, and all that mattered was what went on in side those walls. 

There are times when I wonder do I need to go back in for a bit.  I think the honest truth is at some of those times the answer has been yes, but I'm lucky with the fact that the support I have around me have battled those times with me.  It was hard when I moved out of mum and dad's I had to quickly learn to ignore the voices not to eat and end it all.

I just wish people would simply UNDERSTAND , I know mental health is a mine field but it would just be nice if people could just actually do that.  Just listen allow that person to work through what they are doing, see them as people and not as an attention seeker.  I do sometimes wonder if even just trying to get people to understand is to much.  We hear so much negativity through media, I worry people at to scared to understand in case that makes them as "crazy" as the person they are talking to.

Rach x