Social justice - an unexpected intersectionality with mental illness

Repost from my reddit account.

https://www.reddit.com/r/socialjusti...rsectionality/

What amazes me is that getting more involved in social justice conversations is also helping me better use the logical analysis of cognitive-behavioral therapy on my own depression (I have major depressive disorder that does not respond well to meds). Talk about intersectionality!


Examining the mindset of victim-blaming is helping me talk back to my savage inner critic. Deconstructing bullying, sexist and racist commentaries, and understanding how to do that better, is somehow helping me challenge my own social phobias and self-esteem issues. Helping support people who feel worthless and even suicidal due to injustices and abuses in their lives is helping me see the intrinsic value in my own empathy - and therefore the validity of my simply existing and being who I am. Studying LGBTQ rights and feminism is teaching me radical self-acceptance, and yet I am a cis-straight male. Reading about how different people handle stigma in their situations is helping me challenge the social fears that my psychological diagnosis brings.


All of these unexpected effects are making me question and redefine what depression really is in the first place - or at least, what my individual variant of it is.

Social justice issues are no longer for me just a set of worthy causes I personally feel passionate about. The study of them is providing a set of tools that are improving who I am as a whole person. It is beginning to unlock ways of looking at things that I never would have thought possible before. In standing up for others, we end up standing up for ourselves. By helping others face their fears, we get better at confronting our own.


If I hadn't read so many people's accounts of speaking their own truth and seriously thinking through the issues, I would not have found the courage to post this. I think I owe them a debt of tremendous gratitude.

It seems inevitable at this point that I am going to become an advocate, an activist, an unapologetically loud questioner-of-the-status quo. I can't be so withdrawn and self-doubting anymore and do all that effectively. Depression is gradually losing its ability to hold me back.


--------

Something I didn't post there:
I still struggle, and 2016 has so far been a bit grueling for me psychologically. However, the above post is accurate.

How wonderful. This has me really thinking about myself in relation to the world.

This is great! I am so, so happy for you!

I've found that the more time I spend volunteering or doing something for other people, the better I feel. It's so important to connect with people. And minority groups and other groups that are constantly targeted need that connection and help the most.

You've inspired me to start spending more of my time as an advocate for social justice.

Thanks for sharing.

That's really great to hear !
I enjoy these topics as well..learning about Opression has been very enlightening for me too..and helping me feel empowered..