The Stigma

For years there has been a stigma placed on people living with mental illness. People grew up watching "Sybil" and  "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest". Doctors used to suggest to parents that their children had no worth and should be institutionalized. In history, people with mental illnesses were thought to be possessed by Satan or demons. With that kind of history, who would want to admit that their loved one had a mental illness?
One would hope that in this age of enlightenment that people would be more accepting of people with mental illnesses. I think that for most people, this is the truth. I also believe it has come about because people are standing up for their loved ones and pointing out that just because they may struggle with a mental illness, it doesn't take away from the fact that they are still human and care.
That being said....I am furious tonight. I was perusing my Facebook wall and came across the most heartbreaking story I have heard in a while. In Ontario Canada, the mother of a 13 year old autistic child received an anonymous letter from a mother in her neighborhood. The letter claimed the child was a nuisance and had no value of life. She demanded that either the mother move to a trailer in the woods with her animal child or euthanize the child. Ending it by stating either way, the world would be a better place without the child in it. Typing this, I am getting worked up again. How dare this woman belittle the value of this other woman's child! Yes there are times that I get frustrated with Donny. Yes, sometimes he makes more work for us. Our lives are never boring, but I would not want to be without him. He is my son and I love him very much. I cannot imagine my life without him in it. Yes, my son struggles with mental illness. No, it does not take away from his value of life.
I am a christian woman. My faith in the Lord helps me get through those tough days. One thing I truly believe is that everything in life has a purpose, including children struggling with mental illness. I leave tonight asking you to please don't be like that heartless woman in Canada. When faced with a child struggling with mental illness, remember that someone loves that child with all their heart and that God created that child with a purpose in mind.