Member-only story
I selfishly believed that something was wrong because I appear to attract’ people with mental health illness. I experience mental health illnesses, depression and anxiety. Was my belief a symptom of my self-hate and feelings of shame at experiencing mental health problems? I have to admit that was part of it.
Friends who also experience mental health conditions would comment: ‘what is about me that I attract these people.’ Indirectly, one can interpret such comments as reflecting on me: my mental illness was responsible for me attracting people with mental health illness.
My experiences have led me to believe that, yes, my encounters with other gays with mental illness has something to do with some of the underlying causes of my psychological persona. However, this does not fully explain my experiences. I feel I/we have to accept that many gays are experiencing mental challenges. My psychological profile is not unique. It is something I share with many others. I grew up in an environment where like many others, I have had to fight to accept myself and seek validation for being myself. Laws alone do not eradicate people’s underlying prejudices. The sooner we embrace this, the more compassionate we will be of ourselves and others.
The shaming of people with mental health illness on dating sites and some sections of the…
