You have a bright mind and you're thinking on the right path.

I am a mental health advocate. I write for a mental health journal, and I usually write about the stigmatization of mental illness in a modern culture. The problem, as I have come to learn, is that society views us as not ill, but rather a burden. Which is ridiculous as we ARE ill and, for those of us who have the privilege, ARE treated by DOCTORS. Mental illness is an illness of the mind. The mind is what runs are bodies. What people, ignorant people, tend to forget is that the mind runs are bodies. When we are mentally ill; it reeks havoc onto our bodies. When we are depressed, we don't sleep right. We don't eat right. Our breathing is even different. Mental illness causes physical issues as well.

Us mentally ill people; we are warriors. We have to fight against those who tell us (stupidly) that it is all in our heads. We have to fight against these horrid stigmas that pollute all the GOOD that is happening within mental health advocacy. We are warriors because we are brave. We face this every day, and we keep living. And that is more than a lot of people can handle. Ever.

In this society; being mentally ill is an "excuse". And we all need to start proving them wrong. You wouldn't deny a diabetic their insulin, would you? So why deny the mentally ill emergency care when needed?

As for the police BS (not you, them) I worked on a suicide hotline. Rarely did we call the police, but rather hospitals for their ambulances and their excellent psychiatric care. Believe nothing they say as it is usually a lie. We matter like the rest of those who are chronically and terminally ill. Sadly, there are no marches for us, no commercials for our advocacy, and no fund raisers in major supermarkets. We need to work together to break the stigma. And I do believe we can.