| There are many trends today in the blogosphere. | | | | sentences, without running through the town square |
| From "Bitch Blogs" to having cartoon women in your | | | | shouting gibberish, we automatically assume the |
| blog header, as well as many others. One such "trend" | | | | person to be "sane". |
| as it may be called by some is not in fact a trend at all, | | | | But with the introduction of the internet and blogs - |
| but an interesting societal statement. So-called "crazy | | | | people who, if you lived with them on a daily basis, you |
| blogs", coming from those with mental illnesses of | | | | would know that there is a serious mental health |
| every variety from manic depression to multiple | | | | problem can actually "hide" their illness quite well over |
| personality disorder (MPD), seem to be popping up all | | | | the internet. With the use of the backspace key, |
| over the place. How many times have you seen a | | | | editing, and re-thinking what they write, people can |
| blog themed with the blogger's own personal mental | | | | appear to be whatever they want to be on the |
| disorder? | | | | internet. And with the help of the right combinations of |
| Are these people faking their illnesses because it is the | | | | psychiatric medications and regular therapy, the person |
| trendy thing to do? Or is there more to these blogs | | | | can appear to be quite normal to casual observers. |
| than meets the eye? | | | | So are these bloggers lying about their illness for |
| Interestingly, the National Mental Health Association | | | | readers, or because it is "trendy" to do so? Likely not. |
| (NMHA) reports these statistics: | | | | In fact, every single blogger I know who has a mental |
| * More than 54 million Americans have a mental | | | | illness and posts about it in their blog has a serious |
| disorder in any given year, although fewer than 8 million | | | | illness which they and their families have to deal with |
| seek treatment (SGRMH, 1999). | | | | and cope with on a daily basis. Most likely we only |
| * Depression and anxiety disorders - the two most | | | | know the "face" that is presented to us, and not the |
| common mental illnesses - each affect 19 million | | | | person behind that public image. Mental illness of any |
| American adults annually (NIMH, 1999). | | | | kind is a problem that seriously affects not only the |
| * Approximately 12 million women in the United States | | | | person with the illness, but their relatives, friends, |
| experience depression every year - roughly twice the | | | | spouses, and community. We should be helping them |
| rate of men (NIMH, 1999). | | | | and being considerate of them - not judging them or |
| * One percent of the population (more than 2.5 million | | | | excluding them. |
| Americans) has schizophrenia (Schizophrenia Bulletin, | | | | This entire post has been written by a diagnosed |
| 1998). | | | | paranoid schizophrenic with borderline personality |
| * Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive | | | | disorder, PTSD and clinical depression - all which I have |
| illness, affects more than 2 million Americans (NIMH, | | | | had since I was 12 years old (except for the |
| 2000). | | | | schizophrenia which it's onset was at age 20. I am |
| So it would stand to good reason that if 54 million | | | | currently 27 years old). I write pretty well for being |
| Americans have mental illnesses, quite a few of them | | | | "nuts", don't I? Would it surprise you to know that I |
| are going to be blogging about it. So if these illnesses | | | | have my own business where I make handmade |
| are real, why are people so skeptical? I personally | | | | candles and incense - so that I can earn a living but |
| believe that when a person says they have a mental | | | | don't have to come in contact with the public? Would it |
| illness, immediately the person hearing that statement | | | | surprise you to know that I'm a married woman, and |
| looks for "signs". Obviously, when a person has a | | | | my husband helps me deal as best as he can? Would |
| physical illness, it is often noticeable to the naked eye - | | | | it surprise you to know that you see people like me all |
| a broken limb, a cut or open wound, an amputation. | | | | the time, at the grocery store, in the bank, at the |
| When a person is mentally ill, often with brief meetings | | | | restaurant? Would it surprise you to know I have a |
| or over the internet, there are no such "signs". If we | | | | blog...? |
| notice the person is speaking coherently, in complete | | | | |