“Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there.”

Yes, life isn’t always about visible realities. Sometimes, there are invisible scenes too. And same is true for mental disorders.

If you see someone who is physically unwell, whether having simple fever or battling with chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease or cancer, you likely are aware the person has medical issue. Even you may advised that person to seek professional help to address the issue well.

However, how many times you have noticed the emotional struggle of a person? Or do you ever know the person next to you might be suffering from some form of mental illness? 

Yes, not all illnesses are obvious to the eye. 

There are certain diseases that can’t be seen from the outside. But it can impact thinking, action and behavior of an affected individual. Many people go through their emotional battle without revealing what they may be experiencing.

Also Check : Navigating A World Of Emotions

All of us are quiet aware about mental wellness. It is something that deals with mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being of human. It affects how we think, feel, and act. 

But do you know, our mental wellness is subjected to get disturb just like our physical health? 

Feelings of helplessness and fear are real. Distress can occur on a regular basis. Dealing with overwhelming feelings of sadness, guilt, and other negative emotions is challenging. Diminish self-esteem and feelings of shame are hard to tackle. The nights are sleepless and feelings of loneliness and isolation are troublesome. 

The core feelings of  regrets like “ I did a great mistake of my life” or “ I am worthless” take heavy emotional toll.

Often what’s underneath is very basic insecurity of having been abandon , and so you feel unsafe in large, dangerous world.

Someone might be appear extremely happy outside, but may be burning inside. Someone get terrified to return to work just due to anxiety. Eventually, exacerbated symptoms of any mental illness only worsen chronic absenteeism.

To complicate matters, it’s difficult to work, socialize, and function.

When symptoms gets in the way of spending time with loved ones, participating in shared events, or going out with friends leads to cancelled plans and, subsequently detachment from family and friends. 

Invisible mental illness span a wide variety of conditions, and the suffering that goes with it, may easily go unnoticed. 

Of course, these conditions manifest in behavior, though an individual do not visibly look sick.

With many mental illness, people will experience good days and bad days. It can be hard to explain to others why one day is good and another is challenge. 

You believe it or not, mental illness is a sad reality for many of us.

Mental illness is often overlooked because it is not readily apparent, and people who struggle with them may not know what’s wrong with them. To the casual observer, someone with mental illness may often looks just fine.

Challenges of living with an invisible illness

To understand mental illness is not always easy. It often posed unique challenge. A constant fluctuation in feeling, ability and energy significantly affect person’s behavior. This can make others think that they’re just trying to get attention. Such people are often accused of faking their illness or making excuses just to avoid work.

Though mental illness is not always obvious to the onlooker yet can substantially limit person’s activities. And therefore, these people are wrongly labeled as “lazy”, “crazy” or “incompetent” . This can be disheartening for the person, who may be pushing through challenges to the best of their ability. Oftentimes, the individual feels misunderstood, criticized, or hopeless. 

Regardless of what label we assign to the symptoms, these experiences can have huge negative impact on a person if left untreated.

Beyond social stigma, people with mental illness afraid to unique emotional baggage. Everyday brings weighty decisions about whether or when to disclose their condition and how to deal with possibly mix reactions. Obviously, it may seem logical to stay silent about your emotional struggle.

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to convince society that mental illness is something that no one can see.

But do you know, keeping your mental illness under wrap comes with distinct drawback?

It might surprise you to know, however, that our mental state can impact overall health. With mental illness being a leading cause of sufferings and disabilities, it’s crucial to get mental wellness in check.

In such cases, open talk about mental health could be beneficial. 

Also Check : Let’s Talk About Mental Health

Debunking invisible illness

It has been noted that mental health crises have already been on an upward trajectory. 

Mental illness is a true illness that deserve the same level of compassion that is given to someone with a physical illness, and it’s helpful to simply be considerate of others.

Furthermore, it is time to open our eyes to make this “invisible illness” as visible. In doing so, we need to be clear that poor mental health is not only limited to a person with severe mental disorders confined to psychiatric hospitals. However, ill mental health is widespread and people with mental illness are all around us.

Indeed, it is an important time to bring awareness to this vital issue. And therefore, it is imperative to shine a light, as mental health is essential to overall health. 

Also Check : Nurturing Mental Health

Disclaimer

Mediclin Brain Health’s content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.