You are what you Suffer from?

" I would rather have anything wrong with my body than something wrong with my head, but the idea seemed so involved and wearisome that I didn't say anything. I only burrowed down further in the bed.” - Sylvia Plath


People with mental illnesses often feel, when they are told by their doctors or psychiatrists that they have an illness, that they become their illness. The name for mental illnesses like depression or bi-polar disorder often become labels and burdens to those who suffer from the illnesses. However, their illness does not define them and it is not fair to assume that their illness is all that they are as a person. There are many people who go all throughout their life suffering from a mental illness and not even know that they have it, and they go on and live relatively normal lives. However, when they are finally diagnosed with their illness, they believe that their illness is now who they are. Actually, it is known that when a person is reinforced with their illness as a label it only decreases their chances of recovering or finding healthy ways to combat it. For example, people with depression try to find healthy ways to cope with their illness. However, once they are told they are depressed it is harder for them to ignore the label of the illness and get better. I believe that there should not be a reinforcement of the title or name of the illness once a person is diagnosed because it does not do the individual any better to know, rather it often hinders them. Yes, they should be aware of their illness if it is one that debilitates their everyday lives; however, that should not be overly reinforced.