Breaking the silence

1 in 5 adults have a mental illness in the US, and I’m one of them. Growing up you don’t think I’m going to have a mental illness, but in my family I had a chance of having one. Why you ask?  Because mental illness is hareitary and I have a double whammy grandma on one side grandpa on the  other side. I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 20 years old. Which I didn’t accept that I did have a mental illness. I was put on medication that I took when I wanted and not when I should. I did this for about a year. Then thing went from bad to worse. My job because toxic and I lived where I worked so it was super toxic.Then the boy I was madly in love with but he wasn’t interested in me. ( we are good friends now!!!). One day I called my mom saying I cannot be here anymore I need out now, and that’s what happened I was as my moms in 3 hours. The boy I like no longer talked to me because of stuff that happened when leaving the place I worked/lived. I stopped taking my medication. Btw I was like a walk in pharmacy. About 5 months later I over dosed on my medication like a lot. Another story for another time. My point is that why don’t we talk about mental illness in this country. It’s like it’s a crime to have one. I want to be treated just like everyone else. I may have to take medication to make me feel “normal” but what is normal anyways?? Everyone who has a mental illness may not be in medication for personal reasons. They may not work for them or side effects. That doesn’t mean they aren’t as human as everyone else is. We are people too.