Tuesday October 10th is World Mental Health Day. The goal is to raise awareness for mental health and the stigma attached to it. My guess is either you or someone you care about has struggled with some sort of anxiety or depression. It has an impact on millions and millions of people.
Surprisingly there is still so much stigma attached to it. The stigma refers to any negative beliefs or attitudes towards mental health. Stereotyping is also part of the stigma. It can show up in many ways and have a huge effect on the person as well as their loved ones. I can’t tell you how many calls I have received from parents or partners seeking help for someone they care about.
Key aspects of mental health stigma
Stereotyping
Stereotyping with regards to mental illness may involve portraying these individuals as dangerous or unpredictable. Some may say that they can’t be contributing members of society.
Discrimination
Those who struggle may experience discrimination in different areas of life. These may be on the job, in education and with friends.
Internalized shame
If someone has a mental illness, they may internalize this stigma due to the views of society. This can lead to shame and decrease their self-esteem. As a result they may be reluctant to ask for help.
Judgment
Some with mental health struggles may worry about the judgment of others. Or fear people will reject them. Again this impacts ones willingness to get help.
Yet, I find that when someone is willing to be vulnerable about their anxiety or depression with a trusted person, that they are met with kindness and compassion. It can open the door for deeper relationships. My guess is the recipient of the news either struggles himself or herself, or has a loved one who struggles. However, many people struggle in silence, which only makes things worse.
Reluctance to get help
Mental health stigma can prevent people from getting the help they need. Or it may delay the treatment, especially if their family does not respect therapy or think mental health is really an issue. They may have the attitude, of just suck it up.
Misunderstanding
Those who don’t suffer may not be able to understand what it’s like to have anxiety or depression. In turn, this can lead to insufficient empathy and support from friends, family members and those in the community.
Medias impact on mental health stigma
The media is wonderful at creating chaos, doom and gloom. They tend to reinforce stereotypes that are not true, which just increases the lack of understanding, stereotyping and stigma.
Lack of stories of those who have overcome mental health issues
You don’t hear as many stories on people’s recoveries. There are definitely some, as athletes and leaders do come forward. However, this is not done enough. I applaud those people who are willing to come forward and share their stories of resilience and how they overcame their difficulties.
Cultural misconceptions
Certain cultures may not believe in mental health. They may think that your troubles are to be kept in the family and not shared with others. These beliefs fan the flames of the stigma. This may be due to lack of understanding about what really occurs in treatment.
Cultural competence
It also may be that treatment is not culturally sensitive leading to greater misunderstanding in the community.
Language’s impact on mental health stigma
The way people talk about negative beliefs regarding mental health makes a big difference. If people can pay attention to the way they talk about it and be more positive, it can help reduce the stigma.
A recent example of resilience and success
Lina Hidalgo a judge in Harris County recently was treated for her depression. She said she struggled with it for years, yet didn’t seek treatment due to her shame. As a result, it only got worse and she had to take a leave from her position to seek treatment. Judge Hildago was brave enough to come forward and share her story, as she doesn’t want members in the community to suffer like she did.
Along with her depression, she also had thoughts of suicide. If you are having these kinds of thoughts, it’s imperative that you talk to someone about it. You can always text 988, which is a suicide hotline.
Sadly, there were people who filed lawsuits against her to remove her from office, according to the Houston Chronicle. In addition her political opponent told her to return from treatment or resign. These types of actions and behaviors only add to the stigma of mental health. It doesn’t matter if you are a democrat or republican, mental health issues span across the aisle, and it’s important that we treat people with compassion and understanding. Hildago is aware of this and doesn’t want people to be afraid to seek treatment for fear that they will lose their job.
We have a long way to go in reducing the stigma of mental health. It certainly takes a multi-prong approach to make a difference. This includes educating the public, advocating for those with mental illness and policy changes. Only by increasing awareness, compassion and understanding can we hope to decrease the stigma around mental health. The more people can be open and honest with their struggles, the more others can gain empathy.
If you struggle with your mental health, please give me a call at 713-304-6554, and we can get you back on track.
Take care,
Debbie
