Some people may think me strange to put it on the line with a subject like mental illness. I say we all need to have a serious discussion about the subject. Especially when the only time we hear about it is when someone has been murdered or shot. Nevertheless, I do it because I want to help and I think it needs to be done.
I first "disclosed" as part of a documentary, "Documenting our presence....", in 2007. I talked about my illness, treatment and life openly. I did it because I had just come out of 25 years of psychosis and I wanted to help.
After I saw the documentary for the first time, I thought, "Oh no...I've put myself out there for the world to see." But then, I thought that it was for the greater good. That is when I decided I wanted to be an active voice in the "trenches" of the war on stigma.
I work with NAMI-NJ (National Alliance on Mental Illness-New Jersey) as a volunteer. So, I then began to be a presenter in their program, "In Our Own Voice", where we speak to different groups in the community about our experiences living with a mental illness. Our main goal is to try to eliminate stigma through education and putting a "face" on the illness.
I have also done speaking engagements and I hope to do more. I maintain that if we would all speak out and stand up we could eradicate the stigma associated with brain disorders. I just want to do my part.
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