“Crazy People Go To Shrinks”
You might have heard this often and probably are tired of listening it. Have you ever wondered why people say this? Why aren’t people openly talking about mental health? We see a lot of stigma and fear regarding therapy in our society. Why so?
The reason lies within our society where we have set rules. Just like every other physical part in us, our mind also goes through certain abstract damages which can cause disruptions in our day-to-day lives.
We can’t focus or progress due to these barriers. It is a myth that “Health” is only about the physical aspect. It can be said to be a state of physical, mental as well as social well-being. Besides, Mental Health is a crucial part of our overall health, yet it is often hushed by the society we live in.
The major root cause for our stigma towards anyone receiving psychological help is the lack of communication between people and the lack of ability to accept the new normal.
Mental disorders are quite common; however stigma repeatedly prevents people from seeking treatment. As our society doesn’t understand and discuss mental health, people typically depend on the information they gather from internet or assumptions regarding it.
You can be informed about various mental health issues and conditions, but you can never seek treatment through internet. The information available online isn’t always reliable. “Xyz” medicine from Google can’t help you deal with anxiety, or you might take the wrong antidepressant medications.
Thus, you need to talk about your problems with someone. Be careful with the information you’ve acquired from the internet and discuss it with your therapist so you don’t harm yourself.
“Mental Health; what’s that?!”
Let’s take a step back and understand what the term mental health exactly means.
Mental illness can affect every one of us. It can impact people of all ages and not just people who crossed 50. Data suggests that suicide is the most common cause of death in both the age groups of 15-29 years and 15-39 years.
Hence, Mental Health is a state of well-being that encompasses the emotional, psychological, and social aspects of our lives. A positive mental health makes you realize your own potential, work productively, manage the normal stressors of life, have healthy relationships, and make a contribution to your community.
Whereas, if you experience mental health problems, it could impact how you think, feel, or act, and this could adversely impact other areas of your life.
Busting Mental Health Myths
Myth 1: “You’re just weak”
Mental illness is not a sign of weakness or laziness, it isn’t a condition that people choose to have or not. There are several environmental and biological factors that are often responsible for mental health issues.
Myth 2: “You are doing it to seek attention”
When you are physical ill you don’t pretend the same way why would anyone pretend to be mentally ill?
Myth 3: “People who have a mental illness are dangerous”
Media typically tends to portray mental illness by exaggerating and showing inaccurate images; a person with psychiatric disorders is repeatedly shown shabby, hair not groomed and not in his right mind wandering the streets. This has misled the society believing that mental illness is dangerous.
Myth 4: “Just pop a pill instead”
Instead of self-diagnosing, it is best to seek professional help to determine the best treatment plan. There is no right way to recovery when it comes to treating mental illness. In most cases, someone might need a combination of medication and therapy to rise above their illness.
Myth 5: “Positive attitude can cure everything”
People have this misconception that if a person is depressed they need to “be positive” and not to be left alone tangled up with their thoughts. People think that depression is simply a feeling of sadness, but it is not true, it is a serious medical condition that affects the biological functioning of the body. Therefore, just telling someone to stay positive doesn’t help.
Myth 6: “Only people without friends require a therapist”
You require both friends and a therapist to fight either any mental illness or day to day life task but remember; therapist doesn’t act as a friend they act as a listener and give you scientific advice to cure the illness.
People tend be ashamed of having mental health issues, and they prefer silence than talking about it. If you know someone who has a mental illness, here’s how you can make a difference:
Educate yourself first about mental illness
Unmute Yourself. Speak up when you hear something offensive
See the person and not the illness
Provide love, care and encouragement to someone with a mental illness.
Avoid using words like crazy, insane or retarded. The fact the word “crazy” draws on stereotypes, and specifically a stereotype that is stigmatized, is the crux of the problem with using that word. It makes it more difficult for people to seek treatment.
Its high time people unmute themselves and seek professional help. We as a society can encourage people to seek help and not pressure them to stay busy and ignore their mental health. We should create a nonjudgmental environment and listen with an open mind.
“What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.”
-Glenn Close
Zombies are scary, Mental Health isn’t
So Let’s Talk!
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