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An anonymous Bangor resident once said, “I long for the day when we no longer use the word ‘mental’ to describe conditions of the brain.” Such wisdom and awareness in these words! Why not apply that thinking everywhere? For too long our society has falsely divided the human body into two pieces: “mental” and “physical.” This outdated mislabeling brings the horror of stigma and discrimination to those tagged with the label “mental.”
Did God make us into two parts? No, at least not according to a full-length mirror! So, let’s all make a major effort to change our thinking. The fact is the human body is one integrated, interactive system.
Science has actually determined that the brain is an organ made up of neural tissue, which are groups of organized cells in the nervous system. The “heart” of the matter is the human brain is our heart! It makes up all of our thoughts and feelings, not our invaluable heart. The “mental” and “physical” are all meshed together, not separate and distinct.
So, next year for the entire month of May can’t we please drop the word “mental” and add “well-being” and celebrate throughout our society this more accurate phrase below:
Health Well-being Awareness Month! If we did that, we could take one small step toward ending one of our society’s deadliest injustices.
Joe H. Pickering Jr.
Chair
Truth Tear Down This Wall Committee
Bangor
