Person-centered medicine from deep inside: personal reflections of my depression and recovery

Michael Paré

doi:10.5334/ijic.500

Abstract

I myself have suffered from serious mental illness. This is my story of suffering and recovery. In the year of 2006, I volunteered as a Face of Mental Illness Awareness Week, a Canada wide anti-stigma public service campaign organized—in part—by the Canadian Psychiatric Association [1]. I voluntarily chose to do this public service to fight against the stigma of mental illness. This stigma against illnesses of the mind/brain are the result of both internal stigma (self-stigma), and external stigma (social stigma [2]) and both types of stigma are especially strong in the field of medicine [3].

Highlights

I myself have suffered from serious mental illness
In the year of 2006, I volunteered as a Face of Mental Illness Awareness Week, a Canada wide anti-stigma public service campaign organized—in part—by the Canadian Psychiatric Association [1]
This stigma against illnesses of the mind/brain are the result of both internal stigma, and external stigma and both types of stigma are especially strong in the field of medicine [3]

Summary

Introduction

I myself have suffered from serious mental illness. This stigma against illnesses of the mind/brain are the result of both internal stigma (self-stigma), and external stigma (social stigma [2]) and both types of stigma are especially strong in the field of medicine [3]. It is very difficult to know how to describe how depression really feels. A student taking a science degree in college I suffered from what is sometimes called double depression.

Results

Conclusion