People with mental illness are too often treated in ways that make them feel inferior—ways that make them feel they’re not as much of a person as others are. If that could only change!

Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah when he announced the following in Luke 4:18.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,”

I wish I had been treated with such an attitude. I wish I had been considered in the way Jesus had considered the outcasts of his day.

When I was suffering from the mistreatment, I had no recourse. The people who heard me tell of what was happening and heard my pain, did nothing to help. The hurting continued, not relenting for an entire year. It caused post-traumatic stress that will probably be with me for the rest of my life, although I’m finding this writing is helping a great deal.

I protested to people who should have been able to help. But when it was found out that I had a mental illness, my complaints were ignored.

I had been mistreated in the worst way. The many years of service and good reputation prior to this making the experience extra painful. And yet, not one person protected me. I discovered that the two who I thought were there to hear my pain, were only trying to keep me from talking to others.

marja