Stigma

Stigma comes

in all shapes and forms;

from the angel with the halo

to the devil with horns.

*

From the deniers

to the holy who

want you to pray.

God will make it go away

or so they say.

*

From young to old

generational fold.

The ones who offer helping hands,

only to deceive you- snapping

like elastic bands.

*

Some plain as day

come outright to say,

how little they believe

no matter how much science

they receive.

*

Stigma

has no limitations

when it comes to

mental disease.

*

Everyone is out

to discredit us.

They act so most displeased

for us to get the treatments

we so desperately need.

*

I am sick, tired

fighting those

not wanting to understand.

Who lay claim to being

all knowing prophets

when it comes to my illness.

I am sick of mind

they are not kind.

Tell me to buck up,

there's no place

for the mentally defective

in our new world order.

*

Are we back

to the 1940's?

Or worse am i doomed

to a future as a vegetable?

Will I be lobotomised?

Is my fate that of the

hunchback of Notre Dame?

*

What kind of world

do we live in,

where people show such

little compassion

for the mentally diseased,

with such ease.

- Erin 10th May 2019

Please End The Stigma against the mentally ill. Educate yourself rather than fearing us due to sensationalised headlines and stereotypes. We are human beings and deserved to be treated the same as anyone else regardless of our illnesses/labels.

I myself have Bipolar and Borderline Personality Disorder, which is sadly highly stigmatised even amongst mental health professionals. This has had some horrible impacts towards my own recovery including being denied proper access to treatment and care. In this case words really can have long lasting impacts upon us, and the more misinformation spread the more cemented these stereotypes become.

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