The funny way many people react towards my mental illnesses

[Brad Russ]

First off, mental illness sucks, and is something I'd never wish on anyone. With that said, sometimes I can have fun, and even be amused by certain aspects of my own mental illness. The thing that I find absolutely hilarious is many people's initial reaction to someone who is mentally ill. My mom had a friend over last night, and I went upstairs. My mom introduced me, and I took a seat. There was an ackward silence for a couple minutes, but then this woman finally spoke to me. I mean it when I say this, she honestly sounded like she was talking to a two year old while talking with me, speaking real slow, and clear. I just kind of rolled my eyes and snickered as I've dealt with this before. Apparantely my mom had told her about my illnesses. After her two minute baby talk to me, I decided to play with her a little bit. I answered her back with a lisp, and pretended that I couldn't complete a sentance. She just sat there shaking her head with a big smile on her face. After about 20 seconds, everyone in the room aside from her started laughing, and I said, I'm just playing with you, and began talking with her normally. Ha ha ha!!!

She actually looked kind of shocked and embarrassed, and so I felt kind of bad and apologized, which she accepted. I went on to have a great hour long conversation with her and my family before retreating back to my room to my computer. My mom told me after she left something that I have heard so many times, and that was my mom's friends reaction of wow, he doesn't seem mentally ill at all.

I've just always found it absolutely hilarious the way many people equate all mental illnesses as meaning you must be dumb, or illiterate. I've had more people than I can even count say to me how surprised they were at how down to earth, and normal I am. Even had my new psychologist in disbelief that I was an eigth grade drop out, as apparantely I seemed so much wiser to him. Another thing I've also been told more times than I can count, and as recent as three weeks ago is believe me, you're more normal than 99.9 percent of the people out in the world today. I think they're the ones that should be on 7 medications. I get that all the time!!! That always makes me feel good.

Anyway, I guess my point in all of this is to never assume that just because someone is labeled as mentally ill, that that equates them to being stupid. In most cases, it's just not true, and studies have been shown that have shown a large percentage of the mentally ill to have far higher intelligence than the average person. As a mentally ill person, my best advice to anyone who ever finds themself meeting someone with a mental illness, is to please not talk to us like we're stupid!!! I may be able to laugh it off most of the time, but it can be incredibly annoying. My best advice is that you just talk to us like you'd talk to anyone else, and treat us like you'd treat anyone else. We're not scary monsters with arms growing out of our heads. We're mainly just average people with a few minor brain malfunctions. Anyway, I just thought I'd share this with everyone for what it's worth.

[PlayOn]

Originally Posted by Little Mel

First off, mental illness sucks, and is something I'd never wish on anyone. With that said, sometimes I can have fun, and even be amused by certain aspects of my own mental illness. The thing that I find absolutely hilarious is many people's initial reaction to someone who is mentally ill. My mom had a friend over last night, and I went upstairs. My mom introduced me, and I took a seat. There was an ackward silence for a couple minutes, but then this woman finally spoke to me. I mean it when I say this, she honestly sounded like she was talking to a two year old while talking with me, speaking real slow, and clear. I just kind of rolled my eyes and snickered as I've dealt with this before. Apparantely my mom had told her about my illnesses. After her two minute baby talk to me, I decided to play with her a little bit. I answered her back with a lisp, and pretended that I couldn't complete a sentance. She just sat there shaking her head with a big smile on her face. After about 20 seconds, everyone in the room aside from her started laughing, and I said, I'm just playing with you, and began talking with her normally. Ha ha ha!!!

She actually looked kind of shocked and embarrassed, and so I felt kind of bad and apologized, which she accepted. I went on to have a great hour long conversation with her and my family before retreating back to my room to my computer. My mom told me after she left something that I have heard so many times, and that was my mom's friends reaction of wow, he doesn't seem mentally ill at all.

I've just always found it absolutely hilarious the way many people equate all mental illnesses as meaning you must be dumb, or illiterate. I've had more people than I can even count say to me how surprised they were at how down to earth, and normal I am. Even had my new psychologist in disbelief that I was an eigth grade drop out, as apparantely I seemed so much wiser to him. Another thing I've also been told more times than I can count, and as recent as three weeks ago is believe me, you're more normal than 99.9 percent of the people out in the world today. I think they're the ones that should be on 7 medications. I get that all the time!!! That always makes me feel good.

Anyway, I guess my point in all of this is to never assume that just because someone is labeled as mentally ill, that that equates them to being stupid. In most cases, it's just not true, and studies have been shown that have shown a large percentage of the mentally ill to have far higher intelligence than the average person. As a mentally ill person, my best advice to anyone who ever finds themself meeting someone with a mental illness, is to please not talk to us like we're stupid!!! I may be able to laugh it off most of the time, but it can be incredibly annoying. My best advice is that you just talk to us like you'd talk to anyone else, and treat us like you'd treat anyone else. We're not scary monsters with arms growing out of our heads. We're mainly just average people with a few minor brain malfunctions. Anyway, I just thought I'd share this with everyone for what it's worth.

Well said. Sorry you have to go through that. Remember: they're the idiots, not us. (I have ADHD, btw)

[MickeyMac]

Just goes to show you that the world is full of narrow minded people.

[browneyes106]

I also have mental illness and not a lot of people know about it. But I encountered someone like that at the office of my psychairist once.

[Brad Russ]

Originally Posted by EricsUndeadFans

Well said. Sorry you have to go through that. Remember: they're the idiots, not us. (I have ADHD, btw)

Thanks!! I'm actually kind of use to it these days, and can usually joke about people's reactions, but I use to get really hurt and offended when I was first diagnosed. Always made me feel like people viewed me as a second class citizen. I know who I am now though, and so other people's reactions are less important to me these days.

I'm sorry to hear about the burden you've been dealt to carry in life. My hope is that you are able to have a happy and productive life despite your illness. I'm sure you can!!

[Brad Russ]

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

Just goes to show you that the world is full of narrow minded people.

Yep, there's alot of narrow minded, and ignorant people out there for sure. There's also those though who just don't know any better, and I don't fault them in anyway. Many people just have never been exposed to serious mental illness fortunately, so they just don't know how to act. I actually felt really bad for the friend of my mom's brought up in the original thread. She seemed very nervous, and just didn't know how to act around me. That's why I tried making light of it with her, and made jokes and stuff. I just wanted her to feel comfortable around me, and eventually she was.

[PZelda]

I don't care if anyone is mentally ill. I just hope that if they haven't been diagnosed, that they're aware that they most likely have some form of mental illness. And if they've been diagnosed, to know how to keep it in check.

I don't tell many people that I have Usher Syndrome (vision disorder - it's the main reason I have no hearing). It's bad enough that I have no hearing - I don't want anyone feeling bad for me for also having vision issues.

[PlayOn]

Originally Posted by Little Mel

Thanks!! I'm actually kind of use to it these days, and can usually joke about people's reactions, but I use to get really hurt and offended when I was first diagnosed. Always made me feel like people viewed me as a second class citizen. I know who I am now though, and so other people's reactions are less important to me these days.

I'm sorry to hear about the burden you've been dealt to carry in life. My hope is that you are able to have a happy and productive life despite your illness. I'm sure you can!!

Thanks. The same to you. My ADHD isn't really that big a deal. I also have a speech problem. That's the kicker and one of the reasons I hate to talk. lol.