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Not everything is a mental health issue

Not everything is a mental health issue

By Anonymous

I am a 26years old woman who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder/ schizophrenia(different doctors gave different diagnosis) 4 years back. Currently,I am taking 5mg Aripiprazole to treat my condition and I have been doing good for 3 years as well been taking the same medication for 3 years. There has been no hospitalization these past 3 years and I am following up with a private hospital doctor.

However, I suggest my family do not know proper mental health guidelines on recurring symptoms as they conclude every small matter to be mental health issue. For an example, my grandmother threatened to involve the police when my father and I had a small argument recently. Another incident, is that my father told my psychiatrist that I am having mood swings. When I asked both my sisters who are doctors if they think I am having mood swings, they said a definite no. My father could not justify on why he told the psychiatrist so. It is very disappointing when the only parent/ guardian you have discriminate your situation by misusing their position as a guardian by threatening to get the police involved for irrelevant matters and making false allegations to your psychiatrist.

Another thing that is my concern is during my hospitalization 3 years ago, a nurse pushed open the bathroom door when I was bathing without any warning. Then she casually told I was bathing for too long. If that was the reason, you could have warned before pushing open the door. Would she have done the same to a patient in another ward? Is this her work ethics? So people in mental hospital has no rights even for their privacy? They are people who should be treated with thoughtfulness because of their mental health state for a speedy recovery but instead people do not think twice before taking advantage of their situation.

So if someone has the ability to communicate telepathically and is socially withdrawn, it is called schizophrenia?Then what about introvert personalities and people with psychic abilities? They too should be questioned for schizophrenia, if all the doc tor is going to ask is if you are hearing voices and if you are keeping in touch with your friends for every follow up. Family members who sum up patients simple feelings and emotions to be mood swings too is a critical problem as you are playing with the patient’s confidence and you are forgetting that the patient is after all human and every human has the ability to feel different emotions. This is basic and should not be mixed with mental illness symptoms. The daily life of the mentally ill is already affected by the stigma society has on them so I think it is a serious issue when people take advantage of their vulnerability without having to face the consequences of their actions especially when they have no proper explanation to their actions.


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