"People found my cancer easier to deal with than my depression" Isn't it Time to Change?

Sue talks about how her friends and family found it easier to deal with her cancer diagnosis than the fact she had depression.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• depression
• Time to Change
• stigma
• discrimination
• cancer
• Sue
• mental illness
• mental health

[njc9405]

Mental illness is an illness like any other...what's 'crazy' is that this society is ignorant to that fact.

[JJJules66]

What a sad reflection on the society we live in. Lets hope this really is "Time to Change"!!

[MsAgnosticatheist]

Sometimes I think that I should tell people I endured brain damage in an accident. People are so ignorant that they think you need some sort of physical accident or problem in order to not have responsibility for it. You are really better off telling people you have MS, they are much more sympathetic.

[ticketyboooo]

This woman is brave and wonderful. She has spoken out about the discomfort and sometimes antagonism that people often feel towards mental illness.

I admire her and hope people begin to understand that depression and other mental illnesses are hard enough to deal with without the added stigma.

[RacerE7773]

People are afraid because they think it's catching and that the person is going to kill them. I'd heard people say under their breath "weird" and make gestures because of something I'd said that was going through my head at the time. It sucks having a mindset that is on a different "frequency." We are not dangerous.

[unigirlb]

Yes, IT IS TIME TO CHANGE!

[faithoffaith]

so many fear the M world they don't want to talk about it because they don't think it would ever happen to them or someone they love. Until it does and all you get is funny looks, the silent treatment or discrimination and if your really really lucky you'll have people who are supportive but it takes alot to gain it.

[Bsafe1stalways]

This so perfectly sums up the problems with Mental Illness or should I say, the effects others can have on you because of their fear of it and you.

John

[Rain44maker]

I have Stage 3 Pancreatic Cancer, and was given a few years to live. With the lowest survival rate of any cancer(4%) I just tried to dance while I could. During my recovery from a massive surgery my youngest son was diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia. He's so handsome,and was the most popular kid in school. He had tons of friends, and so did I. Now the phone doesn't ring for either of us. I get so angry at the friends that left him...and me. Not angry..sad. People are afraid.

[alchemorphtv]

Congratulations on a great campaign - great ideas with just the right tone and approach in my opinion. I can't see you could have done any better. I think some people's bigotry can never be cured unfortunately though but hopefully through this sort of information future prejudices can be avoided.

[LeftOfToday]

I've been affected by mental illness for about 10 years now, and every so often I've wondered who would be around for me if I came down with something like cancer, in comparison to how much of an outcast/black sheep I feel like to my family and the friends that have abandoned me because I have a mental illness. I would honestly resent it if they acted differently if that were the case because mental illness can be just as much of a killer, but I'd be the bad person for stating such a thing.

[Bsafe1stalways]

Thank you to Sue for taking part in this video. It is to the point and sums up the stigma associated with mental illness. And more to the point how others can react towards you if you dont hide it.

Thank you Sue

John