I am fighting a mental battle — one no is
able to see. My mind is a battlefield. Every day, while I am able to appear as
normal as everyone else, my anxiety and depression are trying as hard as they
can to tear me down. High-functioning mental illness?
High-functioning depression, bipolar
disorder and anxiety are increasingly being recognized as a
real issue. But because of the stigma still attached to mental health issues,
and sometimes the thinking that it isn’t really that bad, many with
high-functioning mental health disorders keep their sadness to themselves. No
one knows there is something wrong, sometimes not until it is too late.
When a person has high-functioning depression or
anxiety, they may seem to have it all together, perhaps even more than most, on
the outside, but are severely sad on the inside.
People who suffer from it
generally go about their lives as more or less “normal” so are often perceived
as better off than they actually are, even by loved ones and themselves.
As is witnessed increasingly in the cases of so many celebrity
suicides, the victims have been living active and successful lives
but a nagging mental illness has depleted them internally.
With popular TV series like 13
Reasons Why and others mental illness has become a
lifestyle fad of sorts also with the new generation to flaunt a mental health
condition as a lifestyle fad, most often it is a high functioning condition
they do not address properly.
Most people think they know what mental health
disorders such as anxiety or depression look like. Anti-depressant and
anti-anxiety ads along with pop culture portrayals often paint a picture of
someone who has withdrawn from life, including favorite activities and friends,
has trouble sleeping, and is constantly crying. While those are some signs,
depression and anxiety take on many forms.
“Severe mental illness comes with so much stigma.
But we are all around you. We live, we move, we have our being. Invisibly.
Painfully. Oh-so-lonely. But we keep going. You don’t know how much we
struggle. And chances are, unless we open up to you, you never will.” writes an American mom here on her website.
A few misconceptions
about High Functioning Mental Illness
It is generally believed
that a dishevelled appearance isn’t a symptom of depression. However,
people have come to expect that those who struggle with their mental health
will have a difficult time functioning in society. This assumption hurts people
who have high-functioning depression or another mental illness.
Another misconception is
that people with mental health challenges are unable to function in society.
This is not true. It is possible for someone to maintain a socially acceptable
lifestyle while having suicidal thoughts or experiencing anxiety.
People believe that successful
people cannot have a mental health issue though mental illnesses do not
discriminate by how successful someone is. Every smile can hide a lot of
internal struggles.
DISCLAIMER: All the information being provided her has been sourced
from the internet and books and some also via personal experiences. It has no
medical authentication per se so suggestions if followed must be done in
consultation with a trained mental health professional.
References:
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Nice post and relevant post. Time enough attention is paid to mental health, like routine checkup is done for physical health. It is said that as we become more affluent, our physical problem we tend to overcome though lifestyle diseases are another issue, problems move from body to mind. Highly publicised depression of Dipika Padukone, when she was adjudged number one actress in Bollywood, suggest just that. On the surface, Dipika had everything. Money, fame, status, family, boy friend, yet she felt depressed.
ReplyDeleteYes Abhijit so a mental illness just like a physical one can strike anyone.
ReplyDeleteI know a few people who have been diagnosed with high-intensity mental disorders. Even though I've known them at close quarters, it's not enough to understand their plight. I wonder how the rest of the world will ever understand.
ReplyDeleteNoor Anand Chawla
Common people generally do not understand what constitutes mental illness. I am sometimes amazed by people saying stuff like 'he is a psycho' or 'that fellow is mental' and so on just because some people think differently and act differently. At the same time, as you say even people who look outwardly extremely calm, composed and controlled outwardly might be struggling intensely on the inside. It is very difficult to judge and only a psychiatrist with the ability to figure out if there are symptoms that are clinically evident can tell if there is a problem of depression. So friends are relatives to watch out for abnormalities though of course, we have to be careful in judging.
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing about such an important topic. We need to talk about this more so that it can loss some of the stigma associated with mental illness.
ReplyDeleteMental illness can be camouflaged by smiles and presenting that all is well with me. In our country people refuse to acce[t that one is mentally ill. Times are changing and people are seeking medical help.
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Interesting take on a subject that can never have enough exposure. Physical illness is treated why not the mental illness. Both are illness isnt it?
ReplyDeleteI am hearing about this for the first time. Thank you for bringing it to the forefront. The stigma attached to mental health can only be addressed with information.
ReplyDeletePeople are always shocked when I tell them I have severe anxiety, because I am doing well in work and personal life. I am, but it is also exhausting to deal with anxiety every day...
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