Dear Readers:

How would you feel if you had a problem and no one believed? According to the World Health Organization, “One in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. Around 450 million people currently suffer from such conditions”(Geneva). Most of these people don’t want to get help because they are scared they will be made fun of. Mental health illnesses aren’t taken seriously because people don’t talk bout them and people with mental health illnesses are treated as if they are lying.

One reason mental health illnesses aren’t taken seriously is people don’t talk about it.

People don’t understand how common they are because people don’t talk about it.  As a result, they don’t know someone could have it. Another reason is everyone only talks about depression and anxiety because they are the most common ones. Others would think depression and anxiety are the only mental illnesses because people only talk about those ones so they don’t think there are worse ones out there. “According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five young adults are dealing with mental illness, but as many as half are struggling in silence” (Child Mind Institute).  They struggle in silence because they are afraid they won't be taken seriously.   

The second reason mental health illnesses aren’t taken seriously is because people with mental health illnesses are treated as is if they are lying. People don’t want to believe there are worse mental illnesses because they don’t want to worry about more problems. Another reason is society wants everyone to be “normal”, so people think people with mental health illnesses are lying because it’s “not normal” . For example someone who has bipolar disorder their mood changes in a heartbeat and that is normal for them. But, someone that doesn’t have bipolar disorder it is not normal. According to Citizens Commission on Human Rights, “there are no lab tests, brain scans, x-rays or chemical imbalance tests that can verify any mental disorder is a physical condition” (“Real Disease vs. Mental Disorder”). As a result, people with mental health illnesses are treated like they are lying.

People don't talk about mental illnesses and people with mental health illnesses are treated like they are lying are two reasons mental health illnesses aren’t taken seriously. If people would talk about them more, more people would be educated on it and people with mental health illnesses won't be so mistreated. So, wouldn’t you too?

Sincerely,

Kendall S.