I AM HUMAN TOO!.... It bothers me when I read an article about vitiligo and the statement is that it is a cosmetic issue and then goes on to say, how it effects people depression wise. I agree to this to a certain degree. But it bothers me that I am expected to deal with disorder is such a bad thing. DAng it,, i mean I LOVE MYSELF and I WILL WEAR WHAT I WANT....WHEN I WANT and if you stare at me OH FREAKING WELL!!!! I just want to help people begin to understand, both living with this disorder and not.. MY skin does not make me less of a human..it does not mean i will not succeed and overcome the mental bondage I believe half the society contributes too, just because I HAVE VITILIGO! It almost seems like that mojority of the world is contridictating itself.. I mean from stars, to everyday people... I notice comment things like,, its not what counts on the outside or beauty is more then skin deep...but then they meet someone like me and all of a sudden its not suppose to apply to me???? I want the people, ALL people suffereing from VITILIGO to have voice that says different that what people think! I Am just so frustrated with this train of thought. I am tired of letting someone else stares or thoughts or comments control parts of my life! Jesus I have missed out on so much already because of the stigma....I'm getting my armor on to find a way to get the message across...I'm a work in progress on this,, but it will come to past. The seed as been planted in me. I am tired of people saying OH I DON"T CARE.. but when you see someone ( me) with this disorder you care enough to whisper about me (them) , or point at me (them).. or my cruel jokes because of your own INSECURITY or LACK OF KNOWLEDGE?? Plus I'm thinking, this disorder is not just going to go away right now,,, people are developing this order more and more.. I mean the numbers have increased since I was a kid and im 24 now. I'm saying there are strong people living with disorder and learning to maintain there fun and active lifestyle....I am learning to become one of them everyday.... I would like that mentality to spread just like vitiligo has!
DISCUSS PLEASE--------- Ms. Cookie
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Thank you for this post and for ecouraging.
Peace.
A friend came round my house one day and told me her daughter did't want to have a bath and to make sure the little girl had her bath she asked her if she wanted her skin to be like Dawn's skin (mine) she was my best friend for a while and I suppose she told me because she couldn't risk her child say it in child innocence. That hurt me so much, I never spoke to her again.
1. People don't know how to deal with "different". In the world's eye.....different=wrong. That being said.....since our skin is "different", it must be "wrong". That is just ignorance and all you can do is educate them so they wont be so ignorant anymore. Some people may never have had any contact with anyone "different". Special education keeps their kids in self contained classes so the children don't get a chance to socialize with a child of that nature. Kid's with physical handicaps go through the same type of issues. All you can do is make sure when you get up in the morning, you put on your big girl panties and go out there and face the world head on and head held high!!!!!!!!!
2. People with Vitiligo have varying degrees of acceptance. You have a supportive family. I had a supportive family. My mother refused a treatment for me when I was young because the doctor said "It might help". There was no guarantee, so she refused. She did not want to go through the possibility of it not working. So we went on about our lives as if the Vitiligo wasnt there. Some people don't have that luxury, their parent's tried every treatment out there and when it didn't work, they were disappointed and therefore, these kids feel like there is something "wrong" with them. Continually failure of treatment just leads to increased depression!
People who develop Vitiligo as teenagers go through a whole different type of mental and emotional stresses about the disease. As a teenager you are going through your most impressionable years, the years where acceptance among your peers is more important than anything else. Vitiligo can put a strain on that. I understand in a way where people who develop Vit at this stage go through rough times.
People who develop Vitiligo as young adults go through stress much like a teen, but then you are at a point in your life where you are looking for a life partner and if you let yourself believe that Vitiligo is the reason you can't get a date(it's not), then you will be depressed for sure. Same goes for jobs and the hiring process. This is a point in life where the self-acceptance of Vitiligo, is most important. People around you look at the way you carry yourself, and your self confidence, to know how to approach and deal with you. If you are looking down, they will not pay you any attention. If you hold your head up high and exude confidence, they won't be able to take their eyes off you!!!
Now, people who develop Vitiligo as an adult and later in life.....I imagine their stress would be more centered on: "Will my spouse still love me?" "Will my kids develop this?" I met a lady who developed Vitiligo as an adult and she asked her husband to divorce her so he wouldn't have to be seen with someone who looked like that. I met another lady who told me, "If my Vitiligo gets on my face like yours, I would never leave the house." And she was caucasian!!!!
We all deal with our Vitiligo in very different ways. I am glad you are finding your acceptance with yours. People on the outside, you are going to have to educate to help them gain their acceptance. Others with Vitiligo, you just have to handle with care, not everyone has our level of self-acceptance yet. Hopefully, seeing some of us who do live our lives lie we don't have the disease will inspire some to do the same, but we can still help those who are not ready yet by continuing to do what we do!!!
Have a Blessed day!!!!
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