The stigma of mental health disorders, such as addiction, is real. Many young people resist seeking help due to society’s perception of addicts and alcoholics. No other health condition people suffer from involves patients spurning assistance, it’s a reality that we all must work hard to change. If you are one of the millions of Americans battling alcohol and substance use disorders, please know that you are not alone, and help is within reach. However, seeking help will require you to rage against your fear of public opinion.
Americans take pride in pulling themselves up by their bootstraps; the idea that no problem is insurmountable on one’s own. The mindset is pervasive; naturally, mental illness has long presented a problem for our society in the regard mentioned above. As a nation, we need to set aside our independent spirit if the majority of people needing help are ever going to get it. We need to propagate the facts: a mental illness has no cure, but they are all manageable by working programs of recovery. Fact: when mental illness is left untreated the risk of premature death is exponentially higher.
If we, as a society, commit to exercising compassion more people will seek help before the unthinkable happens. Time is not on the side of addicts and alcoholics, so we must act quickly and encourage our friends and family to accept help for any form of mental health disorder.
Hip-Hop Focuses On Mental Illness
Towards the end of last year, Gustav Elijah “Gus” Åhr (aka Lil Peep) died of an overdose. The American rapper, was 21 years old when he lost his life to addiction; most people in the industry would agree that the young man had a promising future ahead of him. Lil Peep’s death isn’t unique, millions of Americans struggle with opioids daily, and roughly hundred Americans die from an overdose each day.
It turns out that a significant number of rappers could have suffered the same fate as Lil Peep, and some hip-hop artists are still at risk of succumbing to mental illness. Fortunately, some artists are using their position to use pop culture as a means of ending the stigma surrounding mental illness, The Los Angeles Times reports. Rapper Logic will address mental health at this year’s Grammy ceremony (January 28, 2018), performing a song titled “1-800-273-8255.”
Several suicide loss survivors and those who are in recovery from mental illness will be onstage during the performance. If you’re wondering the song title’s significance—it’s the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
“If peers and friends are talking about their own experiences with substance abuse or mental illness, as a society we’re highly influenced by them and by people who hold high places in our culture. Logic is a great example of how to own your own struggles and destigmatize them,” said Adam Leventhal, the director of USC’s Health, Emotion & Addiction Laboratory.
Mental Illness Treatment
Each year, many young people struggling with addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders decide that there is no hope; choosing a permanent solution for a temporary problem. Recovery is the answer; surrendering and asking for help is a sign of courage, not a weakness. If you are battling a mental health condition, please contact Hope by the Sea. We can help you get on the road to recovery.
