There is a pervasive misunderstanding of mental and emotional wellness challenges, “mental illness”, in our society. We all have them.
Trauma caused by abuse, poverty and lack of access to services exacerbates them in some of us to the point that we get labeled as “mentally ill” or “criminal”.
Even when there is a medical consensus, or even a legal consensus, that any specific behaviors, such as addiction or manic behaviors, are outside of our control we are somehow still responsible.
We are locked up in hospitals and prisons, further alienating and traumatizing us. We are told to take medicines, which we do, that often lead to more challenges and do not cure our problems, sometimes they cause even more.
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