From time to time I am called upon to write a more personal article pertaining to the issue of mental health. When all is said and done, however, I find that I do not say enough often enough about my own journey in regard to mental health and issues that surround so-called mental illness.

 

Let me begin by discussing the fact that a movement commenced over a decade ago to tack the term of "brain disease" into the place of "mental illness." In the end, whether you attach the moniker of brain disease or mental health to a biological problem or physical injury associated with the brain, there is one stark reality: an affliction of the brain is no different from a biological and physiological standpoint than is any other complication effecting another of the body’s organs.

 

With that noted, even after an ever growing number of men and women from all walks of life have come forward to discuss mental health issues, a significant stigma still attaches to the disease. Indeed, statistics demonstrate that more people are inclined to admit being afflicted with any other type of disease, condition or ailment before they will let others know that at some point in their lives they suffered from some sort of mental health problem.

In my case, I’ve elected to be as open as possible about my own experiences with depression, anxiety disorder and alcoholism. I’ve writen about my experiences, I speak about my experiences. For example, I let people know that I am a survivor of depression.

 

Through this understanding of the serious nature of depression -- again, a fatal disease -- combined with the manner in which many people have responded with outrage to the ill conceived comments of radio jock Don Imus in the United States, it strikes me that the stigma associated with depression needs to be re-addressed. I find this particularly to be the case in light of the tragedy at Virginia Tech.

 

In the aftermath of the Virginia Tech massacre, a great deal of attention is being paid to the shortcomings associated with mental health delivery, care and treatment in the United States and in other places around the world as well. One common refrain continues to be the stigma attached to mental illness and brain disorders. Many people fail to seek or otherwise are unable to obtain mental health and brain disease treatment because of the stigma attached to doing so.

 

The fact remains that when it comes to mental health issues, a double standard continues to be applied. For example, if Don Imus chose to verbally jab at a group of people who’ve been diagnosed with depression, there most definitely would not have been the hue and cry that appropriately erupted following his remarks about the outstanding Rutgers Women’s basketball team.

 

This dual dynamic must not be allowed to stand any further. The reality is that when a person makes inappropriate statements regarding a person’s prior or ongoing mental health, that individual must be called to the mat in the same manner that people responded to Mr. Imus.

 

At this juncture it is important to reiterate that a brain disease is no different than any other type of disease -- no different from breast cancer, heart disease, or any other ailment or condition that can strike the human body. We are talking about a disease of the brain … period. And, if that disease happens to be depression, it can be a fatal condition in the same way that cancer in some instances is a mortal illness.

 

As I mentioned earlier, I am what I think can best be called a depression survivor. Depression, wreaked havoc in my own life a decade ago. I will not belabor this essay with a blow by blow recounting of what happened in my own life from 1996 to 2000 when I was battling this disease. Such is not the point or focus of this article.

What is important is that I ended up seeking treatment. I dealt with the problems I created when I was afflicted with this diseases and went forward with my life. I did not die.

 

In the process, I wrote a couple of books that were published internationally and started a firm that provides marketing, public relations and media relations services to a wide range of clients. I mention my professional status because, even with nearly a decade between my mental health issues and my life today and even though I speak out openly and often about my experiences, I still find myself subjected to Imus-like slurs in the course of my business life.

 

By way of what I noted a moment ago, I’ve decided to draw the line at being subjected to such attacks, a step that I think we all need to take, to work towards a resolution of the stigma that has long been attached with mental health issues. For this reason, I’ve decided to share a recent experience that occurred in my professional life as an example of what is inexcusable conduct when it comes to mental illness and brain disease. No sooner would it be acceptable to attack a women for surviving breast cancer or a man for surviving prostate cancer than it is to attack a person for surviving depression or any other type of mental health condition or brain disease.

 

When I initially crafted this essay I included the name of the individual who attacked me because of my prior diagnosis of clinical depression. I included the name of this fellow’s business as well in that he heads up the operation. My editor did not ask me to excise this man’s name. Rather, I removed it myself because, as unbelievable as it may seem, I still receive unimaginable, dreadful emails from this individual attacking me because of my experience with depressive illness. I have elected to forgo subjecting my editor and the publisher of this magazine to the rants and raves of this individual. However, I have maintained an unedited version of this essay and will gladly provide the complete low-down to anyone who requests the same.

 

Moving on, my firm contracted with the individual I‘ve mentioned to do some minor copywriting work. Ultimately, we ended up disputing fees and other matters which is something that can happen on occasion in the workaday world. He seemed incapable of paying his bills in a timely fashion. Not appreciating that I constantly talk about my history and experiences, this chap decided to respond to the dispute by sending to me dispatches in an effort to cause me to shy away from my position vis a vis this quarrel. His disingenuous remarks included such statements as:

 

"It's all starting to make sense now, anxiety, depression … you have an interesting history there. Get help Mr. Broemmel … Guess when one is in your state, got to find something to hold onto … I imagine social anxiety and alcoholism can do that to a person … I've known some very powerful people, that doesn't make them sane …
(Y)ou need therapy."

 

These words, of course, speak for themselves. Again, would one so taunt a breast cancer or prostate cancer survivor? I would hope not.

 

Having been symptom free for years, these types of statements arising out of a business dispute particularly are troubling. Unfortunately, I realize statements such as these are commonplace in the world today. I know that I am not the only person who is subjected to this type of personal assault. Of course, and sadly, many people are shamed by these statements. I’ve decided to take them out and about for walk, to share them with all of you.

 

In the aftermath of the Don Imus mess and the Virginia Tech tragedy the time has come to no longer permit people to attack those individuals who have survived or who are dealing with mental health or brain disease issues. My personal essay is meant to be a step -- a small one, of course -- in that essential direction.

 

The End

 

Mike Broemmel © 2004