I found this editorial in the Denver Post. It was written by Candie Dalton. Her son is schizophrenic. In the piece, she pleads for an end to mental health stigma. Surprisingly, her arguments are made by asking us to see severe mental illness through the eyes of Robert and Arlene Holmes, parents of Aurora theater shooting suspect, James Holmes. A tough but worthy read. I have posted some of my favorite quotes.
“According to the National Alliance for Mental Illness, one in 17 Americans live with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, major depression, or bipolar disorder. One of these 13.6 million people might be someone you know and love. ”
“The stigma associated with mental illness is so pervasive that those who live with it don’t talk about it and their families feel ashamed. Imagine if we did that with cancer.”
“Schizophrenia affects one in 100 Americans, but have you ever seen a news clip about a person with schizophrenia who lives a happy and successful life?”