The heroism of people with mental illness

Another day, another extreme sportsperson bites the dust. Or snow. Reading about the latest poor adventurer to snuff it got me thinking about one of my favourite topics – how people with mental illnesses are just as heroic as the bravest mountain climber, tramper or heliskier. Let’s face it – no one holds a gun to their heads and says ‘go and climb up that icy, dangerous mountain or I will blow your brains out’. (I could argue that someone who would climb such a mountain knowing how many people have been killed on it does not have many brains to blow out, but that would be unkind.) No, these heroes volunteer to undertake jeopardy and hardship.

And don’t even get me started on the ones who go out without a compass, cell phone, wet weather gear, telling anyone where they are, etc, etc…and then expect to have thousands spent on being rescued.

But those of us who suffer a mental illness didn’t volunteer. Through a combination of unlucky genes and life circumstances we’ve ended up drawing the short straw. Every day we deal with symptoms that are bewildering, stressful, miserable and difficult. It makes climbing a mountain look easy. Not only that but we often have to cope with the attitudes of people who seem to blame us for our symptoms, as if we do it all on purpose just to make life difficult for them or lack will power. Whereas those who willingly ski down rocky, steep slopes, or jump off high peaks, or set off into the thick bush and get lost, buried in an avalanche, or fall off the mountain are treated as heroes.

Well here’s what I think. Those of us who every day deal with the symptoms of mental illness that we did not choose, who battle through each day, who persist in looking for ways to feel better and have a satisfying life, are greater heroes than any extreme sportsperson. We deserve applause and a HUUUGE medal.