From the age of 5, Eli Curry heard voices, even when he was alone.
"When I first told my dad about my symptoms, he told me it was the voice of God so I was never encouraged to go and seek medical attention," said Curry. "It wasn't until my spring semester of my sophomore year that my school encouraged me to seek professional help."
Three years ago Curry was diagnosed with depression and paranoid schizophrenia, a mental illness that involves false beliefs of being persecuted or plotted against. As a student at Franklin College, Curry said his academic performance was greatly impacted, but the diagnosis caused his emotions to spiral out of control.
Due to Curry's alarming behavior, the college's dean warned him if he did not seek medical attention, he would not be able to complete his education at the institution.
"When I was first diagnosed I felt very upset and thought it wasn't fair. I was angry at the world," commented Curry. "The perception of schizophrenia in the media is entirely too negative. They (patients) are portrayed as individuals who are looked at as dangerous or those to be feared or watched."
He said not only is it difficult to be a person with a mental disorder, it's even more difficult because he is a Black male. Many in the Black community believe mental disorders are not real or are over-diagnosed.
Dr. Kimble Richardson, licensed mental health counselor at Community Health Network, said mental disorders are very real despite what many believe.
"If someone doesn't understand their diagnosis or even feel as if it's a real thing, that's half the battle we're working with as therapists," said Richardson. "It's the therapist's job to help the patient realize this is real, and it doesn't make you a bad person but it's a medical illness."
Richardson mentioned that not only do individuals have difficulty dealing with their diagnosis, their families also struggle. Community Health Network and other medical facilities help connect families with others that have loved ones with similar diagnosis.
"If your child has ADHD and you think they're just acting up,' then you hear from another parent who can tell you, 'my child was acting the same way and I thought the same thing you did but we found out it was true,' sometimes people can hear that in a non-threatening way from a peer," noted Richardson.
He added that some families cannot accept the diagnosis of a loved one and occasionally prevent the patient from seeking help through a medical care provider.
Curry's father admitted to also hearing voices and his mother was diagnosed with depression.
"For my parents it was more of helping me cope instead of trying to teach me their methods of coping. We're family and we always come back together no matter the issue," he said.
Curry also added that love should be the first emotion exchanged between parents and their children during this time.
"The most important thing is for your child to know that you love them regardless of the stigma, even if you don't accept it because not all parents will or are capable of that," he said. "Your child should know you want the best for them. Part of recovery when dealing with mental illness is having a support structure. They need to know you are in their corner because they can very easily feel very alone and most of the time that isn't true."
Franklin College officials recommended Curry visit the area's mental health clinic, Franklin Adult and Child, but he also sought out other medical facilities such as St. Vincent Health's Stress Center. Since then he has been treated with various medications.
Throughout it all, the college senior doesn't allow his diagnosis to bar his success.
"I don't like to think about it as something disadvantageous to me, it's just one more thing to keep track of. A mental health diagnosis is not a death sentence and it doesn't mean you can't accomplish your dreams," he said. "I am an actor and I'm in a play. I'm about to graduate from school and I'm lucky to have a wonderful woman in my life that I'm looking to have a future with."
by Victoria T. Davis
The Indianapolis Recorder