One day, my Bi Polar will come to full fruition. All the abilities I have been given will be seen in all their glory. I will not need to be afraid of them because they are gifts from God. Never again will they be regarded as a disability.

I have heard Autistic people say similar things. The suffering of the mind is not what non-sufferers think. We are not being punished, or rejected by God, or possessed by the devil and his demons. We have abilities that other people don’t have. It is easy to be afraid of mind sufferers, because of these abilities, to know the mind and understand it.

When society in general doesn’t recognise certain abilities, it is made a problem for the sufferer. In some circles, mind sufferers are so rejected and isolated, it triggers episodes. Episodes don’t happen on their own, and nothing is an accident. To analyse and understand what is happening, is left to the sufferer. As time goes on, the sufferer becomes strong and able to process things that “normal” people can not.

The negative prejudice is enhanced by the media and reporting of crimes. This affects the sufferer and psychologically engenders a particular view of themselves and the attitudes of other people.

Some try to balance up the stigma, but it is difficult to do. Psychiatric hospital is unknown and unexplored by people in general. It is a place not talked about and a place of shame and blame. This is a difficult stigma to break open and let people see it as a place of refuge for people who are so hurt by “normal” life. Psychiatric hospital is a place of help and healing for people who’s mind is troubled and in confusion. This is the last big stigma for society to face.

The person suffering in mind and emotion, has to find healing for their illness and also carry the burdens of family, friends and society who don’t understand and just see the problem as something to be contained. The problem comes from the sufferer and the situation the person is living in and issues they are facing, are not considered relevant. Non-sufferers do not usually follow up support for themselves or to pursue understanding of what the sufferer has gone through.

I would ask people everywhere to seek to know the cause, pain and ways to recovery that mind sufferers go through. There is life after illness and families can be strengthened as they all face up to what is happening. Sufferers are not victims or feeble minded people, but people who have been chosen to be strong and to bear burdens for other people.

I rejoice to have such a privilege to suffer for others, as Christ suffered for me, and I will fight with everything I have to uphold my family and keep them all on board. I would love them to understand and see that we are all crucial to each other and we should be helping each other and reaching out to support and love each other. I leave this outcome with God as I know that He is able to keep us all.