Mental Health And Why It Should Be Talked About More

 

Mental illness, Mental health crisis, Mental well-being, these are the issues which even at the mention of, kind of, creates an uncomfortable stir in the room, as if something unspeakable has been spoken, something inappropriate, something which represents bad omen.

People never like talking about mental health. It quite easily slides off under the table, hoping it never comes up again. Have we ever questioned ourselves, why this social stigma? Why such biased approach on something so important?

It is probably because in the society we live in, you constantly need to feel okay and anything otherwise is not acceptable. People tend to directly link the prefix ‘Mental’ with anything that is about losing our wits or senses. To be more precise, people conclude having mental health issues as becoming a mad person or mentally dysfunctional.

Words To Spread Awareness

There needs to be more and more awareness regarding this topic and the prejudices against this matter should be resolved as soon as possible. Mental health crisis does not equate to madness or insanity, rather believing it to be something to take care of. In this constant stress surrounded environment, it becomes difficult to feel okay all the time and that’s completely okay and something that should be absolutely normalised.

Physical and mental health are both equally important and should be treated with equal approach. One cannot go without the other, both of them needs to go hand in hand; then only the idea of an ideal healthy person is met. Confronting one’s own mental illness cannot be easy. 

It can be really a daunting experience for one, but what we can do and should do as fellow good human beings to mental illness patients is that we can make it seem normal, as something that is completely acceptable and something which is worthy of no shame.

This way at least it will become a bit less hard for the people who fight the mental illness. The disadvantage that mental health issues or mental illness holds in its disfavour is that there is no physical proof or evidence to show to people that it’s really there, it’s present, that it’s not some kind of lame hoax . There can be no X-rays or C T scans or any blood reports that would prove its existence but none of it makes it any less a real problem or a real illness.

Stop Avoiding This Contexts

The last thing a mental health patient want to hear from you is, “Buck up!” or “You need to smile more” or “You look dreary, go out and chill, you’ll be fine”. Smiling more or chilling is not the solution to the problem and definitely not you telling them this. 

There’s chemical imbalances in the brain which is causing the mental illness not the fact that they don’t know how to cheer up, if it would have been that easy, there would be no need of therapists. Instead of this lame advices, try giving them emotional support, listen with all ears about what bothers them, tell them you’re going be there for them no matter what and encourage them going to the therapists and seek professional help. 

Mental illness should be talked about more often. People should be made more aware about it and it should be a part of more and more healthy discussions. The only thing that should be lessened is the prejudice against it.

Written by - Khadija Kapasi

Edited by - Keerthana Lakshmi