Points to Ponder

Imagine you....

Realised you were only in your underpants in front of a room full of people. The crowd has stopped and are all looking at you. You can hear them laughing and evaluating your appearance - every flaw, every scar, everything you're a little bit embarrassed about. This is how someone suffering from social anxiety feels more days than not.

Imagine you...

Have a dream that you murdered your best friend, in really graphic detail. Even though your friend hasn't done anything wrong, you're not mad at them and you've never done anything violent in your life, you wake up the next day with a sense of guilt that maybe you had the dream because you wanted it to happen. Or even worse, maybe you could actually do it.

This is just one type of concern that someone suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder might have playing on repeat in their mind.

Imagine you...

Were so afraid of spiders that every time you came near one you felt your chest tighten up until it was near impossible to breathe. Imagine this feeling came back again every time you even thought about seeing a spider, regardless of whether or not they were around.

This is a sign of a panic attack experienced by someone with a specific phobia.

Imagine you... Had a constant voice in your head telling you that you were worthless, not good enough, not thin enough, that all of your peers were prettier, fitter, better looking than you. Imagine you felt like everything in your life was slipping out of your control.

This is often the thought process of someone suffering from anorexia nervosa, a condition which extends much deeper than the physical manifestations of the disorder.

Imagine you...

Woke up every morning with the feeling that you couldn't get out of bed that day, battling to find the energy to go to your favourite team's football game or even your best friend's birthday party. Imagine feeling like everybody in your life would be better off if you didn't exist. This is just one of the symptoms that people suffering from depression may feel on a daily basis.

Mental illness is a very real and scary thing for those experiencing it. Just like a physical condition, there are lists of symptoms which characterise each disorder. They are not making these feelings up, and they are not choosing to feel them. But they are treatable.

Stigma is the number one issue standing in the way of these people receiving the treatment that they require. Open up the conversation, ask a friend how they are and be prepared to listen to the answer - non judgementally. NB: Please note that the mental illnesses discussed have been oversimplified for the purpose of this post. Each condition can manifest in many different forms, and each person may experience the disorder in their own unique way. More information about the signs and symptoms of these disorders can be found at http://www.beyondblue.org.au/ as well as the treatments available if you or a friend have been experiencing any of these symptoms. References:

Dinos S, Stevens S, Serfaty M, Weich S, King M. Stigma: the feelings and experiences of 46 people with mental illness. Brit J Psychiat [Internet]. 2004 [cited 2015 Apr 4];184(2):176-181. Available from: PubMed