Mental Health: The New Frontier
1) “Mental health is only a concern for those with mental illness.”
WRONG. Mental health is something everyone should take care of and maintain. Whether you have several mental illnesses or you are an average Joe, taking time for yourself and letting your mind unravel and relax is always beneficial to your well-being. And, if nothing else, it is relaxing and good “me” time.
2) “You just need to toughen up and get over it.”
No one has ever thought of that. No really- *mind blown*. If “getting over it” was that easy for people with mental illness, they obviously would have already done that. The idea that people with mental illnesses are weak or incompetent needs to be put to rest. Next.
3) “You will feel better if you look at the world more positively.”
This is the worst thing you could say to someone struggling with mental illness. The best way to explain depression is to think as if you are a passenger in your own life; you know looking on that you have everything you could ever need to be happy and more, but inside you are still depressed. And I think that is why depression is so daunting and difficult for people- the guilt that goes along with being depressed makes it hard to admit when you actually need help. So telling people to smile and “look at the world more positively” is not only condescending, it might even be contributing to their struggle of admitting they need help.
4) “Depressed people are lazy.”
People with depression sometimes take “depression naps” just to get through the day. Honestly, let them do whatever they need to do to get stuff done. They are being as productive as they possibly can, and trust me, they know how much they sleep. They don’t want to miss out on things with friends because they’re resting or sleeping, but sometimes everything is just too damn much and exhausting. And honestly, it is not any of your business.
5) “Everyone has depression and anxiety.”
Anxiety is normal before an exam and depression is common after losing a loved one, but having these feelings for long periods of time and with no direct causation means you might have a chronic mental illness. A person with anxiety can feel anxious sitting at home watching TV and a person with depression can feel depressed surrounded by all their favorite people. If anxiety and depression become major roadblocks in your life (even in times of low stress and low depression), consider talking to a loved one or a doctor about your next steps.
6) “Mental health awareness is the latest trend.”
Mental health awareness may be gaining popularity, but it is not a trend. People have had mental health issues for centuries, and we as a species have recently learned how to effectively begin to treat the diseases and have productive conversations regarding the symptoms. People with common mental illnesses used to be rejected from society since no common treatments were discovered. With modern science and practices, mental illness sufferers can live a somewhat normal life. So yeah, it may seem “trendy” to take care of your mental health, but that is because it is a recent revelation and most people are just now discovering the importance of maintaining their mental health. So haters should probably be thinking,“You can’t knock it ‘til you try it.”In Conclusion-
Mental illness is not something to be ashamed of. Everyone can benefit from taking care of their mental health. Anything from taking a bath to going for a run is time carved out of your day just to reflect and unwind. Mental illness is something that is real and as disrupting to a person’s life as a physical ailment. So overall, be kind to one another and as always, educate yourselves.
Resources-
• If you think you or someone you know has a mental illness, check out https://www.mentalhealth.gov and/or contact your doctor.
• If you or someone you know has thoughts of suicide please call 1-800-273-8255
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