According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, stigma is defined as, “A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.” When you think of the term mental illness, what pops into your head? A person, or a specific diagnosis? Or maybe even some characteristics? Whatever it is, I can almost guarantee that it was not a positive thought. We live in a society that generally puts a negative stereotype, or stigma, on mental health and illnesses.
I have a psychology nursing teacher as a mother and a therapist as a father (I know; it was a little different). For that reason, I grew up in a household where it was completely okay to talk about mental health issues. But as I got older, I realized that not everyone had that opportunity. Some people were raised to think that talking about your emotions, much less having any kind of psychological issue yourself, meant that you were a weak person. Some of my closest friends growing up and even now as a young adult, were under the impression that therapy is for, “Crazy people.”
I have gone to therapy session in the past, and that’s totally okay. Life happens, and everyone deals with situations differently. However, it took me years before I mentioned that to anyone. I felt so much shame over the fact that I thought something was wrong with me. As a young adult struggling with my mental health, I though that I was just being melodramatic. Looking back, I can’t believe I felt so much disgrace over it.
Therapy is an amazing thing. You get to sit down with someone every couple of weeks (or however often you chose) and talk about your problems and annoyances in your life. And then they listen and give helpful feedback! Seriously, what sounds so crazy about that? Then sometimes it can get much more serious, and that’s when you know it’s working.
Incase you weren’t aware, nearly one in five Americans battle a mental illness each year. That’s roughly 42.5 million people, and that’s just the ones who reach out about it. As a society, we need to take down the barriers we’ve created around mental health. People would rather suffer in silence, than admit that they need help. We are putting people in little boxes and defining them by their struggles.
That has to end. Now. May is Mental Health Awareness month, so there is no greater time than the present. Stop making the topic of mental health and mental illness a taboo thing. Talk about it. Discuss it with others around you. If we don’t make the conversation known, there will never be a change.
Whether someone is dealing with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, OCD, or maybe even something as complex as schizophrenia, that does not make them any less of a living, breathing, human being. And they should be treated as such. If anything, they are stronger. Everyday they are constantly pushing to achieve goals, even if there is a little thought inside their head telling them to do otherwise. Now to me, that deserves a medal, not a mark of disgrace.
