Depression is not being sad. Depression is lying awake, staring at the wall, wondering why you're alive. Depression is feeling empty. Depression is thinking no one cares about you. Depression is never truly feeling one hundred percent happy. Depression is wanting to fall asleep and never wake up again.
People have many misconceptions about mental illness. They think depression is being sad. They think anxiety is being shy. They think Dissociative Identity Disorder is just an excuse for things. They think anorexia is wanting to be skinny.
I want to break this stigma. I want to make everyone see past those stereotypes, to show them what mental illness really is. Yes, some of us do require special treatment. This can mean being able to leave class whenever you want. This can mean not having to take a certain class. This can mean getting to use your notes on a test. This can also mean you can bring something to class that no one else is allowed to have. Special treatment isn't "just because". It isn't because we're stupid and need to be treated like children. Sometimes, we need to be treated differently. But that doesn't mean we're completely different from you.
People with mental illness are still human beings. We deserve to be treated that way. We're not "stupid" or "retarded". Our brains just work differently than yours.
