Mental Health Stigma

We are living in a time that mental health is being acknowledged and people are reaching out for help more than ever. Still, there is a huge stigma around mental health. There is certain shame associated with mental health and a feeling that it is completely different than physical health. Why? I am not sure I have the answer completely, but here are a few guesses.

Misunderstanding of what mental health is:
Some people still live by the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mindset. Which, to be completely honest, has never made any sense whatsoever to me. Mental health isn’t something you just wish away, push away, or just “get over”. Sometimes when someone is struggling with mental health they are searching for their “why”; maybe they have supportive friends and family, a good childhood, and a good job, so why are they feeling sad – they have nothing to be sad about. Have you heard or thought this before? Sometimes we don’t need a reason to be sad or struggle, it is just our reality.

Fear:
I think fear is a two way street on this topic – we are either afraid to talk about our feelings or we are afraid to hear about someone else’s feelings. From a loved one’s perspective I think there is a fear of not being able to help someone that is struggling or fear that we can’t understand, and we end up feeling helpless. From the perspective of someone struggling it is very scary that someone might dismiss the very real feelings or they will be taken to an inpatient facility. I think understanding that mental health is something that can be improved and managed with the right tools and people in our lives.

Labels:
We have heard mental health talked about in the news, social media, and on tv/movies throughout our lives. Historically, it is not always talked about in a positive light. There are labels of being seen as crazy, unfit, or unstable associated with talking about mental health. How can a struggling mother possibly feel comfortable reaching out about her postpartum depression or anxiety if she is terrified of being labeled as unfit. There are so many other examples of being labeled just because we are experiencing a difficult season in life, or maybe the season has been ongoing for a while. Either way, mental health is not one size fits all and there is no appropriate label to place on anyone struggling.
I am sure there are countless other items that can be added to this list of reasons for stigma. I do believe that if we continue to talk about our struggles openly and honestly, it will lead to not only getting help but also feeling understood. If you are looking for help with exploring and understanding your mental health struggles, our team of dedicated counselors here at 360 Counseling are ready to support you on your journey to healing.