What If We Treated These Physical Health Problems Like We Treat Mental Health Problems?

October 15, 2015 / Buzzfeed

“You need to stop focusing on all the bad things in life and just try to enjoy it!”

If you’ve ever struggled with mental illness, you know that there are a lot of misunderstandings about it. People with depression, bipolar disorder, and more frequently get comments that are completely unhelpful – and can even be harmful.

Though many chronic and invisible physical illnesses are treated this way too, this video flips the script by imagining what it’d be like if we treated some visible physical ailments – like a broken leg or the flu – the way many people treat mental illness. We hope this helps clear up why it’s time to take mental health more seriously.

With Love,
The Editors at Everyday Feminism

Click for the Transcript

Speaker 1: (Speaking to a person curled up in a ball on a couch and sneezing) Listen, I know you’re sick and all, but are you even trying to get better?

Speaker 2: (Speaking to a person who has their arm in a sling and is trying to type on their keyboard) Hey, look at it this way. There’s plenty of people out there that have it worse off than you do.

Speaker 3: (Speaking to a person walking with crutches) You need to stop focusing on all the bad things in life and just try to enjoy it. It’s all in your head.

Speaker 4: (Speaking to a person injecting themselves with a needle on the stomach) I don’t think you need to be taking medication every day just to feel normal. Don’t you think it’s changing you?

Speaker 4: (Speaking to a shaking person with a large bleeding gash on their arm) Listen, you really just need to suck it up. Everybody goes through this, and you’re just feeling sorry for yourself.

Speaker 5: Why don’t you just go to the doctor?

Speaker 6: (After throwing up into a toilet) I can’t. My insurance doesn’t cover the flu.

Speaker 5: (Rolls eyes.)

Speaker 7: (Playing basketball) Shit! (Falls down onto the floor holding their ankle).

Speaker 8: Steven, hey man, that’s broken. You need to see a doctor.

Speaker 7: Seriously, I’m fine. I can get better on my own.

Text: Isn’t it time we started taking mental health more seriously?

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