Opinion | Emma Dunlap
The sentence I would like to stick out the most is this one: It is not “cool” to have a mental illness.
On social media, it has become normal to talk about mental health and mental health issues, which I think can be beneficial for those feeling alone in their struggles. I believe it opens doors for more people to feel comfortable getting the help they need…
While I adore how comfortable society has become talking about mental health issues, I do not adore people using it to sound relatable.
I think it is important to remember how serious and difficult it is to live with a mental illness/mental illnesses. Those with mental health issues who actually struggle severely on an everyday basis, do not feel “cool” when they genuinely struggle. Those with mental health issues may use humor to cope but, humor aside, it is debilitating to some. If a person does not have anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, etc… they should not feel left out or make comments to sound relatable.
As someone with ADHD, people assume that I just get distracted easily but it is way deeper than the inability to keep attention. ADHD affects my energy, my self-esteem, my eating habits, my sleep, and my relationships. I love that people are becoming more aware of mental health issues but they should also become more educated.
The comments made like, “omg I can’t focus, I swear I have ADHD” followed by laughter and belittling the disorder and can be frustrating to those around with ADHD. The awareness and normalization involving mental health disorders recently are amazing, but there needs to be more education and sensitivity.
