People fear what they don’t understand

People like to think that if they strive and work hard in life then they’ll be rewarded. You hear icons and sports stars exclaim that with effort the possibilities are limitless.

People don’t want to hear that life can drop you at the bottom of the heap – for irrational and absurd reasons.

I just happen to be in that minority where I am intelligent, above average in education and a person with a mental illness.

Among other things what I learned so far is that it is not your ignorance that people fear it is their own. Their positions in life may be a result of hard work and determination but also chance. They fear that if it can happen to you through no fault of your own then maybe it can happen to them. And this threatens their sense of control.

My advice to a young person living with a disease of the brain such as bipolar, schizophrenia, etc., is to find yourself a job you can perform in spite of your illness and beware of dreams and lofty aspirations.

I’m not saying this to be a pessimist. I’m saying this because serious mental illness will close doors of opportunity. You will be disqualified from jobs in the workforce that are official as a result of stigma and prejudice.

If you find you have trouble doing jobs that require a lot of mental work then don’t be ashamed to do jobs that require a lot of working with your hands even if you don’t find it intellectually or emotionally satisfying.

If you are somewhat highbrow and have a seniors’ mental illness that you can work with libraries and the Internet to satisfy your intellectual yearnings.

Although it might not be on paper you can become quite educated and accomplished through your spare time. Yes, sometimes it sucks but it might save you a lot of angst and frustration.

Steven Young Sydney