...or as individual drawings, if you prefer, instead of in 'poster' form.
I hate the term 'mental illness'.
It somehow seems to imply that it's less real than any other biochemically caused illness or syndrome.
I never faced such stigma after I had a stroke.
Stroke is classified as a brain disorder right along with bipolar disorder. And Parkinson's, and Autism and...I could go on. The list is very long.
There's even a ribbon, I've heard.
It's silver, which is nice because I love silver. Who knows, maybe someday I'll get one, or display the image here since I apparently deal with several of the disorders that qualify as brain disorders.
But I'm not quite there yet. I'm not so much a 'ribbon' sort of chick as I am an artist, so here you go. My feelings are all right there expressed in my art instead of in a symbol chosen by others no matter how lovely that symbol is.
If you like the above art and/or would like to help erase the stigma by posting it (either the poster or an individual drawing version) on your blog or sharing it on social media sites, that's fine by me, just please, list it as my work.
Ordinarily I wouldn't care, but I'm pretty damned proud of this one.
I am not a stereotype.
I am not a caricature. (if I hear someone say "bi-winning" and laugh about it one more time...)
I am a writer.
I am an artist.
I am a musician.
I deal with a variety of syndromes and physical challenges, every day.
Bipolar disorder is only one of them.
It's mightiest and greatest danger to me, perhaps.
I may battle it, but it will not define who I am.
~bru
People will give me labels--that I cannot escape. And I will label myself.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to try my best to fulfill my labels without letting the labels others have given me to affect me too adversely.
I will use the knowledge of others, but not let them abuse me with their opinions.
I am me and I know me better than anyone else does.
Lee
Tossing It Out
To be honest, my friends with 'unique brain chemistry' are some of the best and most inspiring writers, artists, musicians and friends I know! ...I guess I never really viewed their (or my) bio-chemistry as a stigma...just part of what makes us unique! :)
ReplyDeleteI love those comments, Lee and JB, because that's exactly how I feel about it. I will affix my own labels and won't see myself as a 'stigmatized' person and I'm glad that you don't either.
ReplyDeleteI am grateful for the parts of my brain that make me different even if some of them are difficult to cope with at times.
For example, when they wanted me to draw a self portrait recently and put positive words up in the artwork, I said "I don't suppose 'eccentric' qualifies as positive..." and the therapist said "Do you own it? Celebrate it?" and I said "Hell, yeah!" then she said "go ahead and put it down then. As long as it's positive to you, it counts."
I also used the word 'quirky'.
The above artwork just came from reading about others feeling stigmatized and a couple of really bad experiences I had at my medical (non psych-related) doctor's visit and testing this week. There, I felt like they saw the label then disregarded me after that and I was frustrated by it, so I worked it out in lots and lots of pencil strokes. . .
It's way past my bedtime...but wanted to comment back to you both right away so I don't fall any further behind. I tried my best to catch up on all my past comments via email tonight but just couldn't get them all finished- tomorrow is another day though, and if you haven't had a reply from me yet (either you don't have email hooked up to your blogger profile) or please know that I am working on it.
'night, lady and gentleman and thanks again for your uplifting comments (and attitudes).
hugs
bru
I think, if anything, these flaws we all have (whether a disorder or not) help enhance who we are and how we grow. I've been with some children in my church classes who are diagnosed with disorders and learning disabilities, and let me tell you, in their innocent little worlds they do not let anything stop them from showing their true personality. Their "disability" helps them show it even stronger, I've seen. They are always the children I seem to love and remember the most.
ReplyDeleteThat last line says it all, Bru - it's not who you ARE as a person!
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who lives with schizophrenia who says "normal is a setting on my washing machine".
ReplyDeleteNone of us are "normal" there is no such thing.
Who you are is not defined by the burdens you carry.
Love this post bru! I spent my last class studying a bit on stigma. I understand it just a little since I have children with autism. I'm sorry you have to go through this. ((hugs))
ReplyDeleteAutism has long viewed as an illness. Something broken in a person that needs to be fixed. Certainly, for parents, it is a challenge to deal with. However, newew research into autism is changing the perception of the "disease" for many of the researchers. They're beginning to view it as an alternate brain state, and one that may be beneficial to the species. They don't understand it, but many are beginning to embrace it.
ReplyDeleteI think many mental "disorders" are probably the same. They are just things we don't (scientifically) understand. They are not typical, and we, as humans, don't react well to things that are not typical.
It is through conflict, though, that great things happen. Great thoughts. Great art. Great science. "Normal" people generally live desperately normal lives. Because they are normal, they tend to be fine with that. Personally, that kind of normal doesn't appeal to me at all.