Hello everyone, hope you’re all doing well. As some of you might know, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. One topic we wanted to bring up is why mental health is just as important as physical health, and the barriers we have in society that prevent people from receiving the treatment they need.
As we talked about in a previous article, the public’s perception of mental health is continuing to improve and head in the right direction. However, one thing that needs to be addressed is recognizing when we need help. In today’s society, whenever most people experience a decline in mental health, they initially dismiss this, thinking “Oh it’s just a rough patch, I’ll be fine. Most people have it worse than I do.” As time goes on, however, their mental health may continue to decline. Even at this stage, many are reluctant to seek any help until they hit rock bottom. This is most likely due to the fact that there still is a negative perception of mental health, especially when it comes to seeking professional help. Asking for help can be perceived as being weak and fragile, notoriously among men.
The brain is an organ which needs to be maintained and kept healthy like the rest of our organs in our bodies. It can also malfunction just like any of our other organs. When the brain malfunctions, it can cause a chain of events that can lead to other issues in the body, both physically and mentally. This can cause a lot of misunderstandings when it comes to discussing mental health with other people. Many people believe that one can "walk off" depression or "toughen up" when it comes to anxiety. This is a dangerous mentality that can delay treatments until it's too late.
A person asking for help and taking care of their mental health is not a result of being weak or fragile. They are able to recognize that their mental health is a priority to them, and that they have the ability to reach out for help in order to feel better mentally and improve their overall health.
While mental health is just as important to maintain as physical health, there are unfortunately still a lot of barriers that prevent this practice from being integrated into society. For example, many good therapists don’t really work past 5pm, so most 9-to-6 jobs make that difficult to schedule, especially if one is unable to take time off of work. As touched upon earlier, perception of reaching out for mental health help can still be seen as a sign of weakness or fragility, particularly among men. Depending where you live in the world, men are expected to not ask for help and to just be able to tough it out while dealing with other pressures that can take a further toll on their mental health. In certain countries and cultures, it can ruin someone’s reputation and make them an outcast. Additionally, getting access to a therapist can be a problem for some people. There are a lot of times where even if you reach out for help, you could be put on a waiting list and it can take many months to even receive a counselor and if you aren’t compatible with the one you receive, it can take even longer to find another counselor. This can place a lot of strain on potential patients who need help, and can often put a damper on any progress they may have had.
How can we combat this? There are suicide hotlines in multiple countries, which are being promoted more and more. For people unable to use a suicide hotline, there are text-only and internet chatroom versions that make things easier for people unable to talk during a breakdown. Networking to find easily accessible counselors who specialize in a particular mental illness is a major hurdle to overcome, due to issues with wait times or insurance coverage. Talking to one's insurance providers to get the best possible coverage can be an important step to preserving your mental health. Finally, teaching people from a very young age that no matter the age, gender, or reason, it's okay to ask for help. If we can instill that knowledge to children from a young age, it will most certainly become more normal and a priority to take care of your mental health.
If you are in need of a call or texting hotline for help with mental health, please consult this site for your countries appropriate number. If you’re situation is severe, call your local emergency line. The people on there can help you get in touch with an appropriate professional.
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