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Growing up I was surrounded by so many people with undiagnosed mental illness mine seemed trivial.
(self.showerthoughts)
A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.
When I was young I recall visiting my aunt in a mental institution many times. I was told she had a nervous breakdown but it wasn't discussed beyond that.
When Reagan closed all the mental institutions she bounced around boarding houses. The first ones were terrible. Later ones were much, much better.
When I was older I found we took the same meds.
Discussion of mental illness is still avoided in my family.
This wasn't my case, my parents were very well adjusted for the most part but it did happen to a former partner. It was usually accompanied by a deep silence and denial. Hope it gradually gets more normalized to at least talk about it; even if therapeutic alternatives may not be available, having support from friends and family is a huge improvement.