I'm working on removing mental health stigmas and I often come across articles that state mental illness is not considered neurodivergent because people with mental illness can get "better" I've also read that with "proper medication, social support, and counseling" a person with mental illness can be considered "average"

I personally think this adds to the stigma of severe mental illness/disorders. Some mental disorders do not respond to medication at all and there are likely countless individuals who have autism that are labeled mentally ill because autism isn't really diagnosed in adulthood so there are people that missed the window of diagnosis prior to the discovery/treatment of autism.

I for one have been suffering for 17 years straight from BPD I've been told by therapists that I likely have autism but that I would rarely obtain an autism diagnosis due to my age (34). I've been in therapy almost the entire 17 years and I still have severe symptoms that keep me from holding down employment or relationships. The way I perceive the world is not the same as a neurotypical / average person. I've participated in DBT, CBT, and do yoga, mediation, and exercise. This is just who I am and I'm not accepted for who I am because I'm mentally ill and "I can get better. " I'm constantly being pushed to do better and I'm just not really buying into it anymore.

I would like to provide a PSA on my social media platforms about the length of time some people have suffered from symptoms to put it into perspective.

If you don't mind sharing your diagnosis and symptoms and the length of time you've been in therapy and suffering. How much meds help your symptoms / do meds make you feel "average" And if you feel you would consider yourself "average" or "neurotypical" and why.