Mental Illness Stigma A Blight Itself Letter Of The Week: From Dec. 8

The tragic passing of Col. Walt Hodgen spoke of a very disturbing dilemma seen in our societal attitude: a denial about certain illnesses.

Today’s world, riddled with artificial sentiments and real discriminations, confuses the facts and heaps a needless sense of shame on those who face even brief mental care. The fact is, many people who seek help were very productive until they simply “hit the wall.” Very often the failure is extremely intense, like the successes.

Some need only brief treatments, with an extremely high likelihood of overcoming the illness. Unfortunately, there is a deeply entrenched avoidance to getting help for mental distress. In our society, help for that illness stirs fear and shame.

Needing help is not failure. It is those who perpetuate the fantasy that a successful person never has obvious setbacks who fail to understand true success with its failures. It is society’s failure that views medications for mental illness as a sign of weakness.

This demonstrates ignorance. It’s easier for us to condemn others and act like Job’s friends, who lay all blame on poor failing Job and make seeking help an admission to being an unworthy failure.

Our Western culture will eventually bear the shame of our willingness to further burden any distraught or ill person’s life with guilt and blame. Let’s become civilized and leave behind our self-righteous condemnations. Learn to admit that we all need help occasionally. Learn to applaud the courage required to accept both failure and success, and the courage to be weak and to stay strong. Holly G. Swanson Spokane