A Mother's Perspective on Mental Illness

Photo Courtesy of RadioMD

Mental illness is a grave concern in our society. Some people who suffer from mental illness harm themselves, some harm others, and some do both.

That's not to say mental illness equals violence; an oft-misunderstood connection that's propagated by the media.

In fact, the large majority of those with a mental illness are not, nor will they ever be, violent. But, there are some that will resort to hurting others if they do not receive the proper care.

The 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT, spurred blogger Liza Long to pen the essay, "I An Adam Lanza's Mother," a narrative that quickly went viral. Liza's son has struggled with mental illness for much of his life; but, unfortunately, was put through what Liza calls "diagnosis roulette," never receiving a proper diagnosis until just recently.

Liza recently joined RadioMD's Naturally Savvy host, Lisa Davis, to bring awareness to the stigma mental illness receives.

Actually, Liza says, it's much more than a "stigma," but rather blatant discrimination. Many families dealing with mental illness unfairly suffer in silence because of that discrimination. Think about it... would you judge a child who was diagnosed with cancer or some other potentially life-threatening disease?

The discrimination goes beyond the child, too. Families are often neglected in the community, because others don't know how to deal with or react to that kind of "disease." And, parents are often blamed for their children's illness.

But, says Liza, treating a family with a mental illness the same as you would with a physical illness brings understanding and awareness for everyone. Ignoring the public health crisis of mental illness hurts all of us.

Her way of putting a humorous twist on the distinction is by advocating "casseroles." No one brings casseroles to your house if your kid has bipolar disorder... but, perhaps they should.

That understanding and awareness also needs to come from a shift in perspective. Too often attitudes surrounding mental illness are reactive- and crisis-based instead of proactive- and wellness-based. So many of these children could grow up to be healthy, happy, successful adults if given the right treatment and opportunity for well-being. Instead, many times they end up in prison.

Liza speaks so eloquently and so openly about her family's struggles, but she also provides hope. If you know someone who is dealing with mental illness, this interview is a great resource. If you don't know someone, it's an even better resource, as it sheds light on such a pivotal topic in today's world.

Click here to access or download the interview.