Have you ever seen someone in the store and thought to yourself, "Whoa! That person looks really depressed!"?
Do they have greasy hair?
Are they wearing sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt?
Do they have make-up on?
Depression can look different on everyone.
Just because someone still has good hygiene, wears normal clothes, and chooses to put on make-up does not mean they are not depressed.
Maybe that person with the greasy hair, sweatpants and no make-up just got done at the gym and is the farthest thing from depressed.
Mental illness takes on many faces. Mental illness cannot be determined by how one looks on the outside.
I saw this commercial on TV a couple of months ago. It touched me. I thought it was the BEST commercial I had ever seen about mental illness.
I've personally seen that the stigma attached to the illness is sometimes just as hard to deal with as the illness itself.
Their website is http://www.bringchange2mind.org/
Please take some time to visit that site.
Share the site.
"Change a mind and change a life."
8 comments:
Tell me about it!!
Hey I love the new look.
That was a good commercial. How can you tell if someone is depressed or has a mental illness? That's a good question. I think we all need to listen more. People get so busy with the minutiae of their own lives that they don't see what's going on around them, sometimes even in people close to them. We all need to pay more attention and be better listeners.
I have personally experienced that from supposedly 'good' friends... just because I may wear a friendly social 'mask' around them, does NOT mean I was not in pain, angst or mega anxiety. Well... fark them!
One person had the ferking HIDE to say to me "Oh, I used to work with a mental health professional", and because I never shared my 'dark' side with [them] [because I never found I was comfortable sharing that side of myself with them], when a really bad black patch hit me back in November, their 'counsel' [and I'm not exaggerating] was to, and I quote, "I give you permission to kill yourself".
How's THAT for people not wanting to deal with a friend in need? Well, ferk them.
NOW I have 'real' friends with whom I know I can trust to share myself with when things are feeling dark - and they listen. THEY. DON'T. JUDGE!
[Sorry about the rant... this is still a bit raw for me, obviously subconsciously!] But I'm actually going REALLY well emotionally and mentally within myself lately - it's fantastic place to be. Oh blah blah blah.
Mal :)
Oh... I blogged your post on mine. Thanks :) [[[hugs]]]
The video didn't work for me for some reason... but what does a depressed person look like? My first answer was "Me". I've been dealing with depression since I was about age 11. Online right now trying to escape it. It's a 24/7 battle. No, you wouldn't know from my appearance (except for the lack of emotion). I had a thought recently that perhaps I putz so much with my outward appearance to cover up the inner mess, or to try to control it. I can't control the inside, but I can control the outside.
whew...
That is an amazing commercial. One of the things I always try to remember is that no one knows what I am going through day to day and I surely don't know what they are going through so be kind. (Rewind).
Great post and great commercial. My work is related to this population, although on the more extreme end of the spectrum. Getting people beyond the stigma is crucial for successful reintegration into the community.
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