At least we have a description be it "nutter of a screw loose"? For just look at the many out there with no tag at all, free and legal to go about there -no shackle life.
Cronic gamblers-these people can gamble their family's food budget, the electricity money or even their home. If they don't fold in to seek professional advice then they go about life in their merry way
Drinking excessively- well many do so and are not detected. Many hide it well. Stigma is there sure. Young people call it "fun"
Obsessional people- they could be car fanatics, collectors, etc. They just have to have that car "its one of only 200 built" etc. Rarely do people get alarmed until there are more than 8 cars in a driveway fit for one.
Poor money handlers- is that an illness? What about fraud?
Criminals- jails are full of MI people
Bullies- Up until recent years this was just tough luck if you were bullied. Only now these people/predators are being labelled in a negative manner.
You get the picture. All of the above I suggest could be seen in a mental deficient state. All need counselling of various levels. All usually harm other people. Some will need medication, some psychiatric care etc. Yet none are seen in society with the level of stigma mental illness has.
Ever seen a bully getting psychiatric treatment?
Some might suggest to the likes of me, to not inform others of my mental state. That for some of us isn't easy. I feel, as part of my illness I need to speak my mind. Most times this is to people that are close to me, other times I blurt it out to some I regret telling. But that's me. Frankly I'm fed up with the judgements placed on what essentially is....me! My mental illness is part of me. And its just the history of stigma that separates us from the others.
But there are other mental illnesses out there that fly under the radar that are not seen as mental illness unless it is at the extremes. Many of us are not extremely mentally ill. Which means to me that extreme behaviour of all of the above is deserving to be listed under the same umbrella, that of people needing major help.
My point is, many people fail themselves and others around them. When we with mental illness fail ourselves or our family we cannot help it. It is out of our control. Then we are also normal people that need help and guidance. Just like the cronic gamblers and the alcoholics. We are all humans and we should all be listed together under society's caring hands....
