Op-Ed: The Invisible Illness

Around the world, people are living with mental illness, and the resources and support needed to help this community of people are lacking. More specifically, these resources are almost non-existent right here at home in the territory. And on Tuesday, due to the minimal support we have, a man lost his life and another is possibly going to prison for murder.

This was a sad day that began with the death of a father and ended with a son being led out of the water at Hull Bay in handcuffs for being the one who committed the act. But my question is, did this have to happen? I thought about this long and hard. Would there have been a different outcome if Mohammed Salem had been able to receive the care that he so obviously needed? I can’t answer with 100 percent certainty, but I would like to think, “Yes.”

Well, What Do You Know?

You see, I live with mental illness. I have done so since I was a young child. I am not a medical professional and don’t claim to be, but I do know that not everyone is lucky enough to receive the same help and support I have and currently do.