Former NBAer, Ben Gordon, who starred at UConn in the height of their dominant era – wrote the most revealing article I’ve ever seen from a public figure, on MH. It’s in The Players’ Tribune from Feb. 2020. I shared it here, if you look back, bc I was so wowed by the transparency. Why bring this up now?
Ben was just arrested after trying to stab 2 civilians w a sewing needle. Someone who wrote such an incredibly revealing piece a little over 2yrs ago, from a “good place”…a balanced place…now w a sad event like this. Not the 1st time Ben’s gone btwn high-functioning NCAA & NBA athlete, to concerning behaviors.
We’ve learned Ben suffers from Bipolar. That said, may be a strong opinion, but w/o any bio markers for disease (no blood test, no definitive scans), it’s my belief (& that of docs in our alliance), that disorders are clusters of similar symptoms. They do not define who or what we are.
Swipe to the next slide➡️opinion piece from a writer/advocate/historian, as to how we should be making more accommodations for “disability” for folks w MH disorder on campuses.
On the 1st slide, I agree w him, there’s a big issue as to how we deal w MH at colleges. On the 2nd slide – do I agree w him that creating more “disability” labels & distinctions are going to make things better? Absolutely not. I believe it’ll have the opposite effect.
Before you think I may be insensitive, my own diagnosis is be “CPTSD.” Before that label I was given every other one under the sun.
But here’s the thing. Sadly as we’re seeing w Ben: MH’s a journey. It’s a continuum. It’s not a destination. Symptoms ebb & flow. It’s not the same as being deaf…or blind. And in this convo – w the backdrop of misunderstanding arnd MH: the second you start making formal “disability” accommodations for something like anxiety (as suggested by this author’s own experience), you start to “other.” Othering in this space, right now – is literally what CREATES the very stigma we want to see go away.
Accommodations for those in the hospital, sure. Those who survived suicide attempts, yes. More “disability” labels for subjective disorder? No. (Cont in comments⬇️)