Why I Think My Family Doesn't Want Me To Share My Mental Health Issues With Others

[MainerMikeBrown]

I've been dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (which is considered an anxiety disorder by shrinks) and bi-polar disorder for most of my life. And I've been getting professional help for it for years.

Lots of people with mental illness don't want anybody to know that they have mental illness. I don't blame them.

But I'm not that way. I'm not a real private person. I've told lots of people who I know that I have mental health issues.

Many of my family members, however, don't think it's a good idea for me to tell others that I have mental illness. They say that it's too private.

Some shrinks I've worked with in the past thought my relatives feel this way because they're ashamed that I have mental illness.

But I disagree. I don't believe my family is ashamed of me. Instead, I think they don't want me to tell anyone that I have mental illness because of the stigma against mental illness in our world that still exists. They don't want me to be victimized by the stigma.

So if you have mental illness and have family members who don't think it's a good idea for you to tell others about it, it may not be that they're ashamed of you. It may just be they don't want you to feel the stigma against mental illness.

 

[daughteroftheKing]

I agree with you that I believe your family is just trying to protect you. I am very open about my mental illness as well. It's nothing to be ashamed of but sadly people have put a stigma on it. I'm glad you see it in a way different than your shrink does. I feel that they aren't doing it in a harmful way either.

 

[Trying123]

Hi MainerMikeBrown,
I am glad you are open and honest about your condition. I have been suffering quietly for years about my anxiety...until it exploded and just about disabled me. I will not keep quiet anymore. I also agree that your family is trying to protect you from the stigma of mental illness.