Stop Romanticizing Mental Illness

I have walked through two very difficult deaths that were caused by mental illness. This is serious stuff—not funny, dramatic, or cute. It is extremely sensitive content, an issue that does not get talked about often enough. I believe it is because we are humans and we don't generally like to talk about tough situations, we like to sweep it under the rug. But when it comes to mental illness, there is no sweeping it under the rug because it has the power to take lives.

So I write this, wanting to (1) talk about the issue of mental illness in our country and (2) wanting to warn people about jokes that can be insensitive because this is serious.

First, the issue of mental health. I'm proud of the movement that has swept our country, emphasizing mental health issues, because it is helping people like you and me be comfortable about confronting our struggles and being vulnerable to discuss them.

According to an article written by Dr. Shamard Charles (a journalist for NBC News), our generation "iGen" is those born after 1995, and we are the sleepiest generation. I mean, this makes sense, we always complain about not getting enough sleep. Want to know why? It's our phones, specifically social media, because we often use them right before bed, apparently delaying our body of sleep for 30 minutes. Insane! No wonder I need to take melatonin every night to fall asleep...

Charles also explains that a recent study proved that in 2011, there was a dramatic increase in depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts or actions, right around the time social media really took off.

Contrary to the younger generations, older generations did not have the same peak in mental illness and/or suicidal tendencies. I believe this is because, as preteens and teens, we are trying to figure out who we are, wanting to fit in and not be that kid that eats by themself at lunch, and attempting to balance everything going on in life.

When you’re a teenage (heyo I’m in my last year of teen-hood), every event in your life feels extraordinarily big. One mean tweet or comment or Snapchat can send you over the edge. And this is why we need to stop romanticising mental illness. It is not funny, it is very real, and very hard to deal with, especially as a teenager.

Since coming to college, I have had to be very vocal about my past so that my new friends would be aware of what not to say in front of me. It is very common for many people to joke “oh I’ll just kill myself” or something to that effect. This bothers me. So I had to tell people, so that they would know to not make that joke around me (and my hope is that they would eventually stop altogether), because I cannot hear that and go on with my day. Everything after that joke changes, because like I said, everything is huge when you’re a teenager.

Mental illness takes many different forms. I personally deal with depression and anxiety, having formed from the difficult situations I walked through the summer before my senior year of high school. It is sometimes very hard to tell a friend that you’re struggling, but if you have a friend who is your safe space, then they will encourage you to find help (and this is why self-care is so important!!!).

I am thankful for everyone who has helped me through my difficult times, and for those who respect my wishes to not hear jokes concerning suicide and mental illnesses in general. Please take a moment to consider what someone has gone through because you truly never know.

Love to all.

xoxo,

Sarah Cay