PSYCH- How Mental Illness can be misleading from the Outside

Mental Health- Don’t assume the inside because of the outside.

Psych a verb tracing back from 1917, originally coming from the Greek word psychē.

“to make psychologically uneasy”

“to analyze or figure out”

How many of you have enjoyed the TV show “Psych” and followed the adventures of Shawn and Gus? Gosh, I love those two. Shawn is irresponsibly spontaneous, he goes where ever the crime is and creates a scene wherever he goes. Gus is overzealous when it comes to rules and regulations and is constantly yelling “SHAWN” whenever Shawn is about to draw attention to himself. Gus plays along with all of Shawn’s shenanigans, but is a constant anxiety cucumber.

There is one episode in particular that I have been thinking about these last few days because it can be applied to mental health. I can’t remember the name of the episode or what season it is in, but it is about a murder that happens in the fashion industry.

Shawn and Gus party crash this huge event attended by many designers and models. They go in pretending to be fashion designers named “Black and Tan.” Shawn is white and Gus is black. There is one point when Shawn introduces them to a “fellow” designer. The designer then addressed Gus as Black and Shawn as Tan. Shawn immediately says something along these lines. (Sorry that this isn’t a word for word quote… I am a simple blogger…)

“How dare you automatically assume that he is Black and I am Tan. It is the opposite as I am Black and he is Tan!”

I laughed when I saw this scene just like the next guy, but it is something that I have always remembered and it stuck with me. Just because we are a certain way on the outside doesn’t mean that reflects what is going on in the inside.

I have talked a lot about masks and feeling fake. Every day is a struggle whether you are mentally healthy or not. There is always something going on that adds sheer panic and strife to your life. If not, message me and let me know how you do it because that is a life hack that I could use!

We all have tendencies and habits that people don’t see when they first meet us. First impressions are often misguided… It is so important that when you meet someone and interact with them on the daily you don’t assume that they are what you see. Assume that they are a person just like you. Someone who has their own struggles and worries. Someone who at the end of the day is going to go to bed and maybe not fall asleep because their mind is racing. You have more in common with the people around you than you think.

Everyone has something you can relate to. It is just a matter of knowing. When I talk to a cashier at the store, I don’t know if they are having a hard shift. You don’t know if they are mentally or physically ill. You don’t know what they think while they are looking at you.

When it comes to mental health, it is important to be sensitive. It is important to say, “You are okay to not be okay.” It is important to have the attitude of “They could be struggling. But that doesn’t mean they are weak or a project. I should be there for them as a person and not because I see a wounded puppy.”

Too often I see unkind glances and judgmental statements and honestly, I don’t understand it. I don’t understand how one could put themselves so above other people that they fail to recognize that we are all the same. We all have minds. We all have bodies. We all have to remember we are all human.

It is important to remember that when things go wrong or you are struggling… That you aren’t special. I know that sounds harsh, but it is true. Everyone else has their own thing going on and you can’t assume that just because you are having a simple conversation with them that everything is fine. You don’t know what happens when they are alone and behind closed doors.

People are tricky and have a way of saying “psych” the more you get to know them. Life is tricky and has a way of saying “psych” as things seem better than they are.

Be mindful of the “psych” moments. That is all it takes to melt assumptions and discover the pain and triumphs of someone’s life.

YouTube Episode Available: Click to Watch- 46. How Mental Illness can be Misleading From the Outside