It's all in your head. Quite literally, actually - mental illness plagues nearly twenty percent of Americans. The most commonly diagnosed mental illness in the United States is anxiety disorder. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, eighteen percent of American adults suffer from anxiety. Chances are, you know several people with a mental illness, diagnosed or not. If mental illness is so common, even more prevalent than cancer, why is there such a stigma around it? We live in a society where people who suffer from mental disorders are vilified - considered to be seeking attention, at fault, or simply faking it - and cancer survivors are seen as heroes. I am in no way saying that psychological problems are worse than cancer or other life-threatening illnesses. What links them is their debilitating nature. In order to allow everyone the opportunity to receive the help they need, we must end the stigma around mental illness through education and awareness. That, and provide a loving and accepting environment, although that will take much longer to achieve.

Psychological disorders are not a trend or a fad; they are a serious issue that must be addressed. Nobody wants to have a mental illness. One doesn't just wake up one morning and decide to starve themself for fun or navigate through life behind a barrier of anxiety and depression just for the thrill of it. The reason mental illnesses seem so rare in our society is because their victims are terrified to admit they have one. Someone who is deeply hurting doesn't want to ask for help only to be blamed and receive shame and judgment. I once told someone I was depressed and their response was to verbally attack me  by telling me how privileged I am and that I was just fishing for attention. They made me feel selfish and at fault, as though my problems weren't valid because so many others have it so much worse. That is flawed thinking. A psychological illness pays little mind to external circumstances.

Having a mental illness is like fighting in a battle where the opponent's tactic is to convince you the war isn't really happening. It's toxic; it's debilitating; it's excruciating; but above all, it's perplexing. Even after seeing a psychiatrist, being diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and receiving medication, I still sometimes wonder if it's all in my head. And it is. That's the thing about mental illness; it's completely psychological. There are no apparent physical symptoms. It's a hidden disease.

People who suffer from mental disorders are sometimes seen as selfish. That's because when we're alone with our thoughts, the parts of our brains we don't have control over go into attack mode and turn every though terrifying. Our brains try to convince us that people don't really like us; they're just being nice. Nobody cares about what we have to say. We are a burden to society and everyone around us. It doesn't take long to start believing the thoughts wired into our brains by disordered thinking and imbalanced chemicals. After a while, the positive and negative blur into one. Those thoughts begin to consume us in public, around family and friends. Humans have a tendency to take things personally - a common issue surrounding the introverted population. Shy, quiet individuals often offend those unaccustomed to reclusion; shifty body language and a nervous decorum appear bored and rude to an oblivious passerby.

Educating the public on mental illnesses has the potential to save so many people from years of suffering. It can create an accepting environment in which individuals can safely seek the help they so desperately need. If not for feeling ashamed and blaming myself for my problems, I could have been on medication years ago.

Extending education to society is a gateway  to extending a way  to receive help for those with mental disorders. Acceptance and opening up a conversation about it is the first step on the road to societal recovery from the harmful stigma.