Mental illness is not the same as evil. I’ve said this before, and you can bet I’ll say it again and again. I’ll shout it from every mountain top until people stop thinking they’re the same thing.
Mental illness is painful. Fact. Some illnesses create anger in its victims. How that person expresses that anger is mostly on that person. Once they figure out how to treat and control their illness, that is.
I have seen far too many horrific crimes, mostly murders, blamed on Bipolar Disorder. But I have yet to meet another person with it who is, or ever has been, violent. And I’ve met plenty of my fellow sufferers all over the world.
News media thrives on stirring up emotion. They’ll take one tiny detail, and use it to their advantage with no actual proof.
So, this imaginary man who killed his family has suffered with Bipolar Disorder for years. True. But in this scenario, say he found out his wife was leaving him for another man, while taking the kids with. This enraged the man to the point of passion, and he kills them all. What the media won’t tell you is that this man has been medicated, stable, and not at an inpatient facility for twenty years. They do this to stir emotion. Anymore, the news outlets are nothing more than click bait.
They really don’t care that they’re perpetuating a very dangerous stigma. In today’s world, someone coming out as any of the LGBT labels is praised, while those diagnosed with even minor depression are in hiding. People are so afraid of those with mental illnesses that they’re willing to cut off lifelong friendships to escape the perceived danger.
Where are our allies?
Where are the ones fighting for our lives?
Where is the education about the realities of these illnesses?
Our parades?
Our marches?
Our flag?
Our right to be confident in public?
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