MYTH:

Mental illness is caused by a personal weakness.*

FACT:

A MENTAL ILLNESS IS NOT A CHARACTER FLAW. It is an illness, and it has nothing to do with being weak or lacking will-power. Although people with mental illness can play a big part in their own recovery, they did not choose to become ill, and they are not lazy because they cannot just 'snap out of it.'

Below a client from MBCS-Manhattan North Community Counseling Services comments in Spanish. Alicia Montero, Director of Manhattan North translates:

Problemas de salud mental no es porque una persona es débil.

Yo no me olvido mas nunca de los problemas malos. Tengo trauma, y me crie con rencor. No sabía que eso me hacía daño. Yo me quería herir yo misma. Yo pensaba que nací para nada. Yo me sentía como nadie en mi familia porque yo era diferente.  Con ayuda yo aprendí que no es culpa mía y que yo nací por una razón.

Yo intente muchas veces contra mi vida. Mi mente se nublo y lo que yo quería era desaparece. Yo no podía controlar eso. La primera vez que trate contra mi vida fue a la edad de 15 y deje el tratamiento. Pensé que me había curado pero mi enfermedad estaba ahí. Siempre pensé de quitarme la vida. La última vez que intente contra mi vida, después que tuve mis hijos, fue que busque tratamiento. En esta clínica mejore bastante, nunca más intente contra mi vida.

Con mi medicamento y tratamiento estoy mejor. 

Mental illness is not because someone is weak.

I no longer forget about my problems. I have trauma and as a result I was raised with anger. I did not know that caused me damage. I wanted to hurt myself. I thought I was born for nothing. I felt like a nobody in my family because I was different. With help I learned it was not my fault and that I was born for a reason.

I made attempts against my life many times. My mind was cloudy and all I wanted was to disappear. I had no control over that. The first time I tried to end my life I was 15 and did not stay in treatment. I thought I was cured but the illness was always there. I kept thinking about ending my life. The last time I tried, after I had my children, was when I finally sought treatment. Being in treatment at this clinic, I have gotten better and never again have thought about ending my life. With medication and treatment I am better.