Fear of losing respect, fear of losing job, fear of lack of confidentiality. When "pick yourself up by your bootstraps" is a mantra it's very easy to overlook the real reason why mental illness happens -- and deny that it exists altogether or blame it on the sufferer. Wake up from your perpetual ignorance about the subject, America.

I put this up because people PM me, sometimes, about having a mental illness. Because I had a brother with schizophrenia. And because I read a soldier anonymously asking for help, today, on a website (the page is included, here, in one of the pictures just in case it goes down in the future):
anonymous American soldier asking for help

I didn't see anyone properly answer his question there. So maybe you can.

I decided to put this up because maybe it will help some of you who are living in hell every day find a solution -- I know many of you find a quicker solution by your chronic use of marijuana, alcohol, or other drugs (self medicating). Prescription drugs and therapy might be key for you and it's nothing to be ashamed of. You can get confidential help but you need to humble yourself and do it. Because if you don't get real advice, and real help, your denial will gradually be your undoing.

Dive into the field of Psychology and read everything you can about mental illness if you're not sure whether you even have a condition. Don't take advice from people who don't share the same problem and who have never known, up close and personally, what a person with a condition goes through -- they're often too egocentric, ignorant, and proud to see the truth clearly. Be weary of advice from psychologists and therapists, as well, until you study the subject on your own.

***

Question for Liveleakers: What would you tell this anonymous soldier?