At a recent NAMI Mercer event, I listened to a young man, named Jim, share his mental health story. He spoke of the ups and downs with his unrelenting symptoms. Jim mentioned that he dropped out of college three times because of severe episodes of anxiety, depression, and mania. Yet, Jim didn’t give up. He kept going back until he finished his degree. Jim laughed about how long it took him to graduate. However, like many in the audience, I applauded his tenacity and unstoppable spirit.
This brave young man spoke of how he worked at the Princeton University Library. He witnessed extremely educated individuals make rude remarks about students with mental health disorders. Conditions treated very differently than other disabilities.
Like Jim, I am sure that you, too, shudder when you hear others say derogatory remarks about mental illness. Instead, he did his best to stand up for these students. Moreover, he shared his own mental health disorder and how he had been challenged for years. Unfortunately, most times his message fell on deaf ears. But he didn’t give up.
Fortunately, this courageous young man knew there was more to be done in educating and advocating for others who were not well enough to advocate for themselves. Jim found his local NAMI affiliate. He made a commitment to volunteer his gifts and talents to help this organization continue to spread the message of recovery and hope. And last night Jim had a chance to do just that.
I often wonder how long it will take for the general population to accept mental health disorders as treatable illnesses. Thanks to individuals like Jim, acceptance may be just around the corner.
Reflection Question
What can you do to accelerate acceptance and understanding of mental health disorders?
About the Author
Carol A. Kivler is a nationally recognized mental health speaker, international executive coach/trainer, and author. Most importantly, she is a passionate consumer advocate for mental health. Carol is available for speaking engagements in the U.S and internationally. Email or call Carol at (609) 882-8988.
