Hi! My name is Naomi. I have lived experience with mental illness.
Currently, I am presenting with the Partnership Program connected to the Schizophrenia Society of Saskatoon. I am going to be writing a series of articles on mental health. The Canadian Mental Health Association of Saskatoon has allowed me to write articles every month. I am grateful for this opportunity. Thank you!
Mental illness is a very hard topic to talk about in our society. A lot of stigma surrounds it. People treat you differently. Society isolates people with mental illness.
We are not our diagnosis. We are people learning to work with our diagnoses of mental illness.
We want to educate people about mental illness. The words that society uses to describe mental illness have to change. Examples like being called schizo. No, it is schizophrenia.
Mental illness is one of shame and guilt in our society. Mental illness is not visible but on the inside of a person, it is like you are dying emotionally, mentally, and physically. Situations like bullying, not being able to express your feelings, abuse, substance abuse, and grief of a loved one who has passed away, can lead to chemical imbalances in the brain.
People with mental illness can have productive careers. People with mental illness need love and a supportive community. Coping strategies to deal with the issues in our lives. Medication is needed to lessen the effects of mental illness on a person and sometimes for the rest of your life, you have to take it.
I think as a society we suffer in silence because of it. We as a society can come together to be kinder to reach out and say we need help. We have come a long way in changing how we look after people with mental illness, but more needs to be done.
Help can come in the form of smiles, saying hi, and simply being there with them to talk or not say anything. You are not alone in your struggles. There are a lot of resources available to start your journey to recovery from mental illness. We want a healthier society for all.
I would like to thank my worker Jenna and the staff at the Canadian Mental Health Association branch of Saskatoon. The environment in the building is always welcoming. They have been a big part of my recovery from mental illness. Counseling, programs, career and job help, and support groups are the services they provide.
- Naomi Z