Coping with Life: Pain can be felt in many different ways

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Pain can be felt in many different ways

By SUSAN DOWD STONE
Featured Blogger

In trying to present analogies which illuminate the pain of mental illness and the anguish these sufferers bear, I witnessed the following scene.

While standing outside of Macy's, I noticed a man who had obviously suffered with polio, or an illness which brought extensive limitations to his limbs. His arms were disfigured and he propelled himself with two crutches that barely stabilized his forward movements.

Each step held the possibility of catastrophe as he flailed to maintain balance. These exhausting motions required constant rest against a light pole, a store window, a mailbox.

It took nearly fifteen minutes for him to move down a single block.

While deeply touched by the courage of his hard won independent mobility, I thought... this is what it is like for a person with mental illness to try to negotiate his day. The simplest task, the most benign interpersonal exchange presents challenge of exhausting proportions.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Perhaps, the saddest aspect of dealing with mental illnesses is that too few can identify with the actual challenges facing those of us coping with them. Some days even getting out of bed takes an heroic effort. Yet others failing to appreciate this offer glib advice, "Just get out of bed."

It is not surprising that so many of my peers lead lives of dispiriting isolation. Successful living takes energy, hope, and a sense of purpose. Too many of us have been robbed of these. Where all treatment is supposed to lead to Wellness, a successful existence, we have been told to avoid all stressors as they are generally considered "triggers." However, the most rewarding interactions in life involve at least some stress - a new job, a first date - and where stress is unacceptable lives become small in scope and long on mere existence.

It was never represented that treatment would play out this way. It was supposed foster broader lives but in the current era where the messages often promote learned helplessness it too often narrows them. Systems in shambles can do that.; August 6, 2008 at 1:59 PM
Anonymous said...: Each step held the possibility of catastrophe as he flailed to maintain balance. These exhausting motions required constant rest against a light pole, a store window, a mailbox.

New Jersey Alcohol Addiction Treatment; August 28, 2008 at 12:51 AM

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Featured bloggers

SUSAN DOWD STONE
Susan has served as president of Postpartum Support International. She is a certified therapist who serves on the national board of the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition. She is an adjunct assistant professor in the Silver School of Social Work at NYU, where she teaches cognitive therapies. She also writes for the Empowher blog.

ANDY BEHRMAN
Andy is a mental health writer whose autobiographical book, "Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania," has been translated into six foreign languages. His articles have been featured in The New York Times Magazine, and he was recently featured on CNN's "360" with Anderson Cooper. He currently lives mania-free in Los Angeles with his wife and daughters.

STEVE BERLIN
Steve Berlin has experience as a writer for national publications. He has had lengthy experience in the fire service, and served briefly as a high school teacher. A resident of Arlington, Va., Steve is pursuing a masters degree in public policy.

LAUREN HALE
A mother of three and survivor of Postpartum OCD, Lauren Hale now supports women and families who struggle with perinatal mood disorders. She serves as Georgia's postpartum international support coordinator, moderates message boards at iVillage for new mothers and blogs at Unexpected Blessing. Lauren is also one of the founders of The Postpartum Dads Project.