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Mental illness is not a choice. A thread:
Mental illness can be caused by lots of things. Genetics. Environmental factors. Trauma. A chemical imbalance. Early life environment. Medical and hormonal changes. Your brain being wired differently. A literal brain injury.
We hear lots of patronising things, but the one thing that always stands out is: 'You can CHOOSE not to live like this, if you really want to.'
But that is like telling someone with a broken leg: 'You can CHOOSE not to have a broken leg, if you really wanted to.'
Dumb, right?
But that is like telling someone with a broken leg: 'You can CHOOSE not to have a broken leg, if you really wanted to.'
Dumb, right?
People don't want to live with mental illness. It is hell.
Nobody chooses to wake up wishing they hadn't.
Nobody chooses to be too anxious to leave the house.
Nobody chooses to have nightmares every single night.
Nobody chooses to have an irrational fear of abandonment.
Nobody chooses to wake up wishing they hadn't.
Nobody chooses to be too anxious to leave the house.
Nobody chooses to have nightmares every single night.
Nobody chooses to have an irrational fear of abandonment.
Nobody chooses to have a head full of intrusive thoughts.
Nobody chooses to have disabling obsessions and compulsions.
Nobody chooses to experience hyopmania or full-blown mania.
Nobody chooses to experience hallucinations and delusions.
Nobody chooses dissocation.
Nobody chooses to have disabling obsessions and compulsions.
Nobody chooses to experience hyopmania or full-blown mania.
Nobody chooses to experience hallucinations and delusions.
Nobody chooses dissocation.
Nobody chooses to feel numb and empty.
Nobody chooses to feel lonely & unloved.
Nobody chooses to look in the mirror and hate what they see.
Nobody chooses to think life isn't worth living.
Nobody chooses to feel suicidal.
Nobody chooses to feel lonely & unloved.
Nobody chooses to look in the mirror and hate what they see.
Nobody chooses to think life isn't worth living.
Nobody chooses to feel suicidal.
Yes, there are things that can help: Therapy, psychiatry, medications. But often these things aren't accessible. And even when they are, it's not a *cure*.
Mental illness is like being in a constant state of recovery - there are manageable times, but there are also crashes.
Mental illness is like being in a constant state of recovery - there are manageable times, but there are also crashes.
When you say people are 'choosing' to be mentally ill, you invalidate so many who already feel ashamed of their feelings and unhead.
Mental illnesses are *illnesses*. And they need to be treated as such.
They are NOT a choice.
Mental illnesses are *illnesses*. And they need to be treated as such.
They are NOT a choice.
