A different kind of coming out
Telling the world about my mental disorders to help others face theirs Over the years, coming out as a lesbian hasn’t been that hard for me — because I was always too busy hiding something else.
Confessing queerness can be a breeze compared to revealing mental illness. But I decline to play this game of hide-the-worse-stigma any longer.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and a fitting time for me to acknowledge I’m now so out as a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and hoarding disorder (HD) that my closet is as empty as Rep.
George Santos’ conscience — which is a weird sensation, after decades of keeping mostly mum about my conditions. Occasionally I ask myself whether there isn’t something else I’m still hiding, something embarrassing nestled among the hangers and dust bunnies.
