Mental Human!

To me one of the most difficult things to accept is that my depression and anxiety are ‘mental health issues’. I spent years fighting the stigma attached to mental health for members of children’s families that I was tasked to assess, support and safeguard.
Yet even now, despite my openness, my self awareness, my telling my story often too openly to all here, in groups and on my blog (www.thejonesy.com), I find it so very hard to tell my self it is just that. I am not alone in having ‘mental health issues’ in fact I am in the best company because so many of the people I love, care about and call friends have them too.
We however live in a society that continues to dehumanise all disabled and vulnerable, but more so those with any form of mental or even invisible illness. It is still in so many circles seemingly ok to mock folk by calling them ‘mental’ or a ‘nutter’. These terms and far worse are used in jest, comedy, but also to derogatory and aggressive effect.
We are not humans but ‘service user’s’ – not even patients anymore.
If we haven’t a case worker it seems we have no voice, if we have a case worker it is their voice that carries weight.
I for one may get lower than I ever have been, I may be scared of opening my front door or going to meet my mates at times, I may hold insulin in my hand and try to think of a reason not to take it all, but given that and all the other quirks and issues within my life I am still a human being. I will never accept being treated otherwise.
People can sit in front of their 50 inch TV and watch the vile shows on channel 5, or believe the BBC / Tory Propaganda, they may make their minds up with no understanding or experience of Mental Health, of Chronic Illness, of continuous pain, but that does not make them right, it does not give them a right to judge me or anyone else.
I despite my health issues am still the person I have always been. I am the same person I was at 16, at 30 or at 45, I now have different experiences, but thats growing older.
I did not lose my value and worth when ill health took my career and role.
I am still Simon, I am still Jonesy, I am still human, I am still me.
If society rejects this, I reject that society. I have always fought for my morality and now I have all day everyday to continue that fight.
So beware bigots, beware greedy swine, beware those in glass houses, for I have walls of brick, clothes of Kevlar and the biggest bag of stones you will ever see.
Unite against discrimination, unite against hate and let’s make things change for the better.
Jonesy.