Understanding Mental Illness

“Fresh Hell in my Brain” - that's how Esme Weijun Wang describes it.

In therapy, we often embark on a journey to reshape the narratives and stories we tell ourselves. A diagnosis can offer solace by providing a clear framework. It signifies that something is occurring in a specific manner, recognizing recurring patterns in daily life.

Mental health conditions encompass a collection of symptoms within the mind. With the right treatment and support, these symptoms can often be controlled without the use of medication, highlighting the resilience of the human mind. It's crucial to remember that the mind and the person are more than their diagnosis; they are multifaceted and unique individuals.

It's intriguing that the same mind responsible for unsettling feelings can also generate brilliant ideas. In the context of mental health, this unsettling 'feeling' is often described as an 'intruder' to be 'confronted.' Instead of saying, 'I am depressed,' one should begin by saying, 'I experience depression.' This shift in language not only acknowledges the presence of depression but also recognizes that it's just one aspect of a person's complex and remarkable identity.

Quoted in Man's Search for Meaning: “We want our suffering, if it must be endured, to mean something. Don't be afraid of your mind. That voice and present feeling have a function”

Viktor Frankl