“Look at this mess! It’s going to take a while to clean up.”
“I’ll help you and get Joel to help too–”
“No! I don’t want his help. As a matter of fact, I don’t want him coming around here anymore.”
“Why not?”
“He made this mess.”
“That’s not true. Why would he do this?”
“Because he’s nuts. He’s psycho.”
“He’s mentally ill, Harrison.”
“Same thing. I don’t want his kind around here anymore.”
“His kind! Is that how you see people with mental illness?”
“They’re dangerous and should be locked away.”
“NO! People like you should be!”
99 Words
This story was written because this week is Mental Illness Awareness Week. This year’s theme is: What People with Mental Illness Want You to Know. Their greatest challenge is the stigma they face from family, spouses, friends, co-workers and society. The greatest tool against stigma is education. People need to be educated about mental illness and how to supportive of those who have it.
This post is for the Friday’s Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. You can find this week’s prompt Here. To read other stories or to participate, click Here.
Notes to Women 
Good lesson in tolerance well presented.
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Thanks, Liz.
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Bigotry is a kind of mental illness
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I don’t consider Bigotry isn’t as any type of illness because then people will have an excuse for exhibiting. I would say that it is a twisted way of seeing others who are different.
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Sad that that sort of attitude still persists.
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Yes, it is. Hopefully, with education and awareness, this sort of attitude will change.
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Love this. And, the stigma is so very true. Although, in all honesty I can think of one mentally deranged person who should be locked away without internet access. Sigh…
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Thank you. I know. Sigh.
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Yes, as frustrating as it woudl be to clear up after a repeated incident, a little tolerance and understanding would go a long way.
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both have a point. it’s about perspectives.
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It’s natural that people would see things differently but intolerance and bigotry should never be tolerated.
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👏🏻 a helping hand is always better than a slap in the face. Like those that suffer have a choice.
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Exactly! They don’t have a choice and that’s why it’s so important that they get all the love, support and understanding they need instead of the stigma.
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Ugliness borne out of ignorance! We could all deal more compassionately with each other.
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Yes, it is so important that we treat each other with compassion and understanding.
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It is one thing to not know a person has mental illness, it is quite another to know and still be so awful. Well done Adele.
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Yes, it’s heartbreaking what people with mental illness have to deal with. Thanks, Dale.
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Another powerful piece from your crusading pen (or keyboard).
Important to get this message out.
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Thanks, Ceayr. It was a message which needed to be shared.
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I agree – the stigma of poor mental health will only be removed by education – and your story is a worthy piece of educational material. Well done!
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Yes, education is the key for this so many other issues. Thanks, Penny.
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That’s some leap in attribution he made there. 😦
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If only this was pure fiction. Sadly it’s not and I’m not sure it ever will be.
Here’s mine!
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I agree with everything you wrote. Ending the stigma around mental illness is important.
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Thanks, J.A.
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If I was the narrator, I guess I’d probably leave Harrison to do all the work after that.
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Perhaps she did leave him to clean up by himself.
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Attitudes are slowly changing, “slowly” being the operative word. One can only hope that as the years go by this sort of attitude becomes a thing of the past.
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Yes, with continued efforts to raise awareness and to have open dialogue, this kind of attitude will become a thing of the past.
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Interesting take on the prompt.
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I was grateful for the opportunity to be able to write about such an important issue.
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There is still too much prejudice in the world. Destigmatizing mental illness would be a huge step in getting people the help they need.
“The worst thing to call somebody is crazy. It’s dismissive. I don’t understand this person, so they’re crazy. That’s bullshit. These people are not crazy. They strong people. Maybe their environment is a little sick.” – Dave Chappelle
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Yes, there is, sadly and hopefully education and awareness will help to destigmatize mental illness which will in turn encourage people to get the help they desperately need. Dave Chappelle is right. The name calling and dismissiveness need to stop. What is needed is understanding and support instead of ignorance and prejudice. Mentally ill people are strong. It takes courage to live in an environment which is so hostile to them.
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