I recently started watching a tv series by the name of See. I had never heard of it until recently, being that I am not much for television. The story’s plot takes place in an era where people have lived blindly for over 500 years. Although the sighted have some advantages, the blind also have many advantages. A few people have the gift of sight and can see. The blind must learn to live among the sighted.
Although fiction, I began to think about how this show has many truths. Having sight does not always mean you have a vision. We are blessed to have the eyesight to see the beauty that extends as far as our eyes allow. But sometimes, this same eyesight holds us back from truly having a vision.
Many are led only by what they see with their natural eyes, making what they see absolute. But what about what we don’t see with our physical eyes. In the tv series, the blind can use their heightened senses to maneuver through the new, crazy world they live in. They get around very well, especially in the dark. We must also learn to maneuver when we are in complete darkness.
As someone diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and borderline personality disorder, I learned that my blindness can be my greatest strength. Being blind becomes an advantage, as the blind can sense things beyond what is visibly seen. It was the catapult that gave me a vision.
Mental health is stigmatized over what people see. Especially within the media world. Mental health is always shown as “crazy people” doing “crazy things.” If everyone stopped looking and started envisioning, it would shift the perspective and destigmatize mental health.
Mental health is more profound than we know. It affects regular people like you and me all over the world. It stems mainly from some form of trauma in your life. If we really took a long look, we would have to address its core, not its result, to fix mental health.
Having a mental disorder may temporarily block your sight, but your vision is what continues to carry you forward. Envisioning beyond what others can see is what brings healing and restoration. Looking beyond the physical appearance and being empathetic of each person’s journey.
Knowing that everyone has their own struggle in this life. Having compassion towards others will draw us to help others. Knowing that we all need a hand up when we are down at some point. Mental disorder or not.
Together we must show others that having a diagnosis doesn’t have to become your identity. Seek to have a vision because eyesight will only get you so far. To overcome your disorder, you must envision yourself overcoming and successfully moving forward. Not by what you see, but where you imagine yourself to be.
Mentalcloud9 