Coming Out

I read a post on TheBloggess.com that kind of wracked my soul for the day. Coming Out is about mental illness. My sister died 2 years ago from cancer. Before that she struggled with mental illness throughout her entire life and as a child had a myriad of different health problems to deal with including a heart transplant at the age of 8.

This is Heather:

She wrote a book about her life before she died. I'm reading through the draft this week as my mom is getting ready to actually publish it.

Coming out about mental illness is a big deal. It's an inconceivable trial for those who suffer with it. For the families of those who have mental illness it's a journey about understanding, forgiveness, support and endurance.

People with mental illness cannot pray it away. They can't just "work harder" or "change their attitude" and make it all go away. It's a monumental exercise to manage it. Medications pile up on top of medications and make it a "crazy" mess to put it lightly.

So if you, those you love or those you are acquainted with struggle with mental illness. Come out. Help people understand. Help people have compassion for those who suffer. I've seen a lot of suffering and I stand in awe and amazement at what my sister endured and there are millions like her suffering who could really benefit from people taking some time to become enlightened about mental illness and what it really means.

Come out.