After battling depression since the age of 11, (after seeing psychiatrists since the age of 15) (puberty, hormone changes = chemical imbalance), I finally crashed in the year 2000. I became suicidal. Lucky for me, psychosis was never part of my illness. I put myself in hospital (only for 4 days) and was “allowed” to be released on the condition that I would not be alone. I lived at my parents’ home for 8 long weeks, slowly recuperating. I didn’t think I had much “oomph” left in me; however I asked friends to research anything (especially places) where I could go to recover. I also aligned myself with my pharmacist to better understand the medications I was on, and certainly to be cautious of any interactions with other things I may have been taking.

All this to say, although I didn’t understand it at the time, I had accepted my illness and I was being proactive towards my recovery. Very shortly after, I went to AMI-Quebec and took an education course (on my illness…Bipolar Type 2), attended support groups, volunteered in the education (high schools) program, and then went on to take ‘facilitator’ training, so that I could lead support groups. I eventually became a “presenter” in high schools, cegeps and community organizations. I presented at the “teachers” conferences and even went on to become the co-coordinator of the education program. Presently, I am on the Board of Directors and a co-chair of the fundraising committee at AMI-Quebec.

I want people to know that recovery is possible!!!! It does not come without hard work. Medication alone is not enough. Whatever one’s first step is in taking action against a very painful struggle, it is a beginning of many steps that need to be battled. Relying on a support system (family, friends) is most helpful. They can give you feedback as to how you are thinking and behaving. Communication is so very important….suffering alone is NOT helpful. I think everyone with a mental illness must stop “stigmatizing themselves”….there’s sure enough stigma “out there”! I’ve come to believe that people stigmatize because they equate mental illness with insanity. This is certainly NOT the case.
I wish everyone suffering to hold your heads up high, and fight for yourself. Nobody can do it for you.
Best of luck,

Sherry Ellen

From: Elizabeth Gluch, Special Education Teacher: Day Hospital

Here is the feedback from your presentation on September 19, 2008. Congratulations on your amazing work.

There were about 9 patients from the day hospital who attended your presentation. A few of them had no previous knowledge of your situation. We had a discussion group as a follow-up to your talk; these are various comments and main points that came up.

"A message of hope was transmitted by Mike's presentation" (this was the most predominant comment!)

"It was courageous to have a movie made based on his experiences"

"I would have liked more info regarding Mike's earlier state when he was ill"

"I found the presentation more valuable than the movie, which at times seemed a bit cliché"

“The titles of the chapters sound great, about recovery"

"It is really interesting for people who have never gone through it"

"What did Mike actually do (i.e. to accept his illness)"

"This would be great for high school kids"

"It was brave of him to speak publicly in front of others"

"I liked the 1/2 full of energy idea, it's true!"

"Much better than any theoretical stuff"

"What kinds of questions did he ask himself and how did he arrive at any closure around them"

“80/20 philosophy food for thought"

"I had several light bulb moments, i.e. outside eye looking at myself" (by the way, we had a whole discussion around your 5 eyes and what they are; are 2 of those eyes your wife's or sister's eyes; are they your eye glasses)

"Wow, to be able to say that he's happy to have a mental illness"

“The lesson I got was to be able to acknowledge being ill, and not be discouraged"

“The presentation gave me an overall positive feeling"

“The message of continually learning is a great one"

Why does mental illness still face stigma? While most people would never think of making fun of someone with cancer, or any other physical illness, mental health disorders and conditions still remain fair game for ridicule.

Mental vs. physical
Why does the stigma of mental illnesses continue? For one thing, the term "mental illness" suggests that it's not the same as a medical or physical illness. To some, the word "mental" suggests that the illness is not a legitimate medical condition but rather a problem caused by your own choices and actions. People may blame you and think your condition is "all in your head." Furthermore, there are no blood tests or physical evidence to prove that mental illness exists. Professionals can only diagnose mental illness through self-reports and behavior. They may think that a mental health disorder means that you're weak or lazy. They may think that you should just "get over it." And you may begin to think these things about yourself, too.

In reality, mental illnesses have very complex causes, often a mix of your genetics, your biology and your life experiences - most of which are beyond your control. Neuroimaging studies, for instance, show physical changes in the brain associated with mental disorders. And studies show that some mental illnesses run in families, suggesting that they may be due in part to genetics.

Some people also believe that if you have a mental health disorder, you must be dangerous and violent. This perception is often inflamed by media accounts of crime in which someone is vaguely referred to as "mentally ill."

Statistics, however, don't emphasize any connection between mental illnesses and violence. In fact, most people suffering from mental illness are neither violent nor criminals.

Todd Stern M.Ed.

Mental illness has many faces. Just as physical illness manifests itself in many different ways, so too does mental illness. Currently, it is estimated that approximately one in five people suffer from mental illness of one form or another. While it is only human nature for people to fear what we don’t understand, fear of mental illness actually stops people from obtaining the necessary help that they so desperately need. It is unfortunate that this happens because effective treatment exists for almost all mental illnesses. Worse, the stigma experienced by people with a mental illness can be more destructive than the illness itself.

There are many myths about mental illness. Until people learn the truth, they will continue to deny that mental illness exists at all or avoid the topic all together. Some of the common myths associated with mental illness are:
- People with mental illness are violent and dangerous. The truth is that, as a group, mentally ill people are no more violent than any other group. In fact, they are far more likely to be the victims of violence than to be violent themselves.
- People with mental illness are poor and/or less intelligent. Many studies show that most mentally ill people have average or above-average intelligence. Mental illness, like physical illness, can affect anyone regardless of intelligence, social class or income level.

- Mental illness is caused by a personal weakness. A mental illness is not a character flaw. It is an illness, and it has nothing to do with being weak or lacking will power. Although people with mental illness play a big part in their own recovery, they did not choose to become ill, and they are not lazy because they cannot just "snap out of it."
- Another common myth about mental illness is that it is a single, rare disorder. Mental illness is not a single disease but in fact, a broad classification of many different disorders. Anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, personality disorders, eating disorders and organic brain syndromes can cause misery, tears, discrimination, fear and missed opportunities for thousands of Canadians.
(Part 2 to be continued next week...)

Todd Stern M.Ed.