stigma

I've been asked why all my poetry is about mental health.

I write about mental illness because it has almost killed me.
I write about mental illness because it might still kill me.
I write about mental illness for those who can't.
But most of all, I write about mental illness because of the stigma.

Don't try to tell me that the stigma is gone. Don't tell me the stigma is gone when my prof rolled his eyes when I told him that I couldn't finish my assignment on time because of a major depressive episode. Don't tell me the stigma is gone when the crisis worker I was talking to shuffled backwards when I mentioned my borderline personality disorder. Don't tell me the stigma is gone when my old housemate told me I couldn't be anorexic because I have meat on my bones. Don't tell me the stigma is gone when my academic adviser told me that university is supposed to be stressful and I just need to get over my anxiety.

It's the stigma that causes so many to not seek help. People are dying from illnesses that can be managed with ongoing treatment because they're too embarrassed to seek help. People are dying from illnesses that can be managed with ongoing treatment because they can't afford the treatment. My provincial insurance covers medical doctors but not therapists. Try telling me the stigma is gone when treatment for cancer is covered but treatment for depression isn't.

The only time my therapy was covered by provincial insurance was when I was in a locked ward. Think about that for a second. My therapy was only covered when I was locked away from society. As if they only wanted to help me when I couldn't run wild. Tell me again that the stigma is gone, when it assumed that humans with mental illnesses are a danger to society when the statistics show that someone who suffers from mental illness is more likely to be a victim of a violent crime then to be the perpetrator.

When considering taking time off of school to go to treatment, my social worker asked me if I would take time off school if I had cancer.
Of course, I replied.
Then why are you treating this any differently?
Because I'm scared of what grad schools will think if I take time off for mental illness.

Tell me again that the stigma is gone.
I dare you.

The psych ward

Lots of people seem to be scared of psych wards. As if people with illnesses are something to be afraid of. As if our depression is contagious.

One of my friends came to visit me today. I'm so grateful that I have this amazing support system, and people I can trust to be there for me in my roughest times. Unfortunately, I've also been disappointed by the lack of support that I've had from some people. But that's life.

I met an amazing woman today. She really enlightened me. Her positive and willing attitude toward treatment, and her self awareness with regards to her disorder was quite impressive. It made me think a lot. Shes ten years older than me, and highly educated. That's my nain goal for when I'm thirty. To be very highly educated. But I don't want to be thirty and in hospital. I want to be educated and successful. If that means letting go of my disorders, maybe this is the time to do that.

Romanticizing vs glorifying

If you search mia, ana, depression, anxiety, suicide, self harm or any other related word into tumblr, you will find a load of black and white pictures of sad teenagers, and depressing quotes.

You will also find a bunch of people ranting about how terrible it is to romanticize mental illnesses.

Here is my unpopular opinion: Romanticizing mental illness is fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. However there is a BIG problem with glorifying mental illness. The problem is, the difference can be hard to notice.

Romanticizing illnesses is done all the time. From John Green writing romance novels about teens dying with cancer, and a potential suicide in "The Fault in Our Stars" and "Looking for Alaska", to quotes such as "There are lines on your wrists/ like railroad tracks/ and I know exactly where they're going/ but there is no train to heaven" (Unknown), we romanticize illness everyday. It helps us cope. Thinking that we are tragically beautiful, or a purging princess, or a delicate doll helps us hate ourselves less.

The problem occurs when the romanticizing enters that grey section, where illness are glorified, the bad sides pushed aside, and people start wanting eating disorders. I'm talking about people thinking that being depressed means someone is going to save you and help you escape from the dark side. Or thinking that cancer will make you realize exactly what you want in life, and post recovery you will live your life to the fullest.

This isn't how illnesses work. Yes maybe when you are depressed you have that one person who never gives up on you and gives you hope. But you still can't get out of bed everyday, cry yourself to sleep at night, get nightmares, and can't cross the street without secretly hoping that a car will run you over. If you wish you had an eating disorder, stop right now. You will lose your hair, your friends, isolate yourself, and the disease will take control of your brain.

If romanticizing your illness helps you cope. Continue what you are doing. I know that reading poems about people dying, and reading books about beautiful girls who cut themselves but get saved and find themselves with the help of a boy, gives me hope. Makes me think that I'm not just a crazy worthless girl. But please never encourage others to worsen their disorders, and if you find yourself wishing you could have a bit of anorexia or anxiety please stop and read about all the terrible side affects of these diseases.

-Niqi
xoxo

13

13 must be unlucky
It's the year things got bad
It's the year I was lonely
When I was surrounded by people.

13 must be unlucky
It's the year I grew up
It's the year I became a woman
When I wanted to be a kid.

13 must be unlucky
It's the year I got anxious
Its the year I felt abandoned
When I wanted to be hugged.

But I hope that for you
13 won't be so wicked
And maybe you will find
The magic in madness.

Niqi
xoxo

Stigma

This is it. I'll let the cancer win. I can't do this anymore. The pain. The torture. Barely being able to sit up every morning without the room spinning. Needing assistance to go to the bathroom. Spending more time in the hospital than in my house. This cancer has eaten away at so many of my organs, it's just a matter of time before it takes over. Whether it happens now or in a couple years does it really make much of a difference? I won't have much of life either way. The cancer is going to kill me before I can kill it. I might as well just let it take me know, and spend my last days at home, at least slightly enjoying myself.

Now most people would see this character as a strong individual, who has had a tough life and wants to die with some dignity. They have been a fighter and in pain for too long.
Reread this text, but switch the word cancer for bulimia, or depression, anxiety, anorexia or any other mental illness. Does your perspective on the person's character change? It shouldn't. Mental illness isn't a choice. It's a disease.

#endthestigma

-Niqi

xoxo

Grocery shopping

I swear grocery shopping is the hardest thing to do when you have an eating disorder. Especially with other people. Especially when those other people are super healthy athletes.
I either buy everything - like all the chocolate, bread, cakes, cookie dough, chips and ice cream - or I buy nothing. Sometimes I only buy fruits and veggies, and sometimes I decide to buy healthy meals when I want to recover. I've been getting better, and over my grocery trips it tends to even out so I have enough safe food to be comfortable. But no matter what, grocery trips always take hours. I will walk up and down aisles comparing the nutrition information of every different brand of food, trying to figure out which food packs in the most nutrients in the least amount of calories.
My worst nightmare is when there seems to two identical food, but they are in different packages. I'm always convinced that they are tricking me, and there has to be a difference between the two food items. It doesn't matter if I was planning on buying it or not I will stand there comparing the different packages until I can spot the difference.

-Niqi
xoxo

Introduction

Hi :)
I'm Niqi and was recently diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Since being diagnosed I've done a lot of research on this disorder and its quite an accurate diagnoses.
Throughout the past year I've been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and an eating disorder (bulimia in october, and then my diagnosis got changed to purging disorder). I also self harm and have attempted suicide.
A month or so ago I decided I had to stay alive. I wish I could say I was doing this for myself but I'm not quite there yet. But I can't leave my siblings. I love them too much to put them through that. So since I'm stuck on earth I decided I'm going to make the most of it. I don't necessarily mean that in the most conventional way though.
Some days that means lying in bed watching tv because that's all I have the energy for. But hey, I have a long list of movies and TV shows to watch.
Some days that means studying super hard and throwing new tricks at gymnastics practice and talking to my profs about there research.
Some days that means self destructing because sometimes its okay to not be okay as long as you stay alive.
And some days that means going to coffee shops and listening to motivating music and enjoying the beauty of life.
All I'm saying is that I'm going to take it day by day and do what I have to do to stay alive. Because that is my first priority.
My second priority is world domination through math. But honestly, as long as one day I can get paid for solving puzzles and doing math every day I'll be content.
I'm going to do my best to not be triggering, and if I think anything I post might be triggering I'll warn you. However, I haven't fully committed to recovery yet- so much of my self definition is wrapped into all my disorders. But I'm trying. So this isn't a recovery blog, I'm just hopping to reach out to anyone going through similar things and force me to write down my thoughts every so often.

-Niqi

xoxo