Today is World Mental Health Day!
World Mental Health Day was first celebrated in 1992 and occurs every year on October 10th. It is a day to spread awareness about mental illnesses and fight against stigma. So…
Let’s talk about Stigma
What is stigma? Glad you asked! Stigma refers to discrimination against a person or group based on a characteristic – like mental illness. In Canada we see stigma attached to mental illness in many different ways. Even though 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, the Canadian Mental Health Association reports that only about half of people who experience depression or anxiety seek help. This could be due to a number of factors – lack of access to resources, lack of knowledge about mental illness and treatments, and certainly – stigma. We still live in a country where mental illness is often viewed as something to be embarrassed or ashamed of. Many people worry about losing their jobs, feeling judgment from friends, co-workers, and family, and many judge themselves. And sadly, because of stigma, these fears are often based on reality.
Because of stigma people with mental illnesses do experience judgment from others. We have a long standing “just get over it” mentality about mental illness. A teen having an anxiety attack is told to just “calm down”, a mother with post-partum depression gets judgmental glances from the other mothers in her ‘baby and me class’ when she tries to open up about her experience – she goes home wondering what everyone is saying about her and doesn’t plan on returning, a child gets picked on for wearing noise-cancelling headphones when they need a break at school, or gets sent to the office when he has trouble sitting still and quiet in class. Each of these reactions is stigma. It born out of a lack of knowledge about mental illness. So, let’s clear a few things up here today!
Let’s talk about Mental Illness
So, what is mental illness and where does it come from? Mental Illness can take on many forms and looks different in each person it effects (affects?…I never know). Some that you may have heard of are depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, and schizophrenia. We hear about these ones a lot because they effect a lot of people. There are a number of factors that can contribute to developing a mental illness, such as a family history of mental illness, many aspects of your environment like your early childhood experiences, stress, trauma, nutrition, exercise, and situational factors like loss and grief.
Let’s Talk about Kids
Possibly the greatest misunderstanding and stigma attached to mental illness is around children’s mental health. It is still difficult for a lot of adults to believe that children’s experiences are real. That they aren’t just misbehaving because they are ‘bad’ or ‘manipulative’ or ‘aren’t disciplined enough’. You cannot discipline mental illness away. A child with ADHD will never learn how to manage their symptoms or develop self-acceptance if they are yelled at or sent out of their classroom everyday. A preteen with thoughts of suicide needs to be listened to and to get professional support. A teen having a panic attack needs his teacher, family, and friends to understand anxiety and learn how to support him. They aren’t faking it, they won’t just grow out of it, they don’t need to just get over it. They need support and understanding.
Let’s Talk about Treatment
The best treatment for mental illness is PREVENTION. This means taking care of yourself even before symptoms of depression or anxiety arise. It means slowing down, noticing what your body is telling you, and listening. It means eating healthy, exercising, visiting your doctor, a nutritionist, or therapist to learn more about how you can take care of yourself. Yes, seeing a therapist even though you don’t have a mental illness is a great way to stay mentally healthy. Let’s face it – we ALL have things in our life that cause us stress. Talking about them can be really helpful.
Second to prevention is EARLY INTERVENTION. This means seeking help at the first sign of difficulty. This means getting support for your 4 year old who is afraid of everything, or your 6 year old who can’t sit still at school. It means talking to a professional when you notice symptoms of depression in yourself. It means looking up ways to support others when you notice symptoms of mental illness in someone you love. When it comes to getting help – the earlier the better.
And thirdly, ONGOING TREATMENT AND SUPPORT. This is so important for every mental illness. Find professionals who you trust to help you continue learning strategies to improve your mental health. What you need will be different from what someone else needs. Give yourself permission to try different avenues of treatment and test out different professionals until you find something that fits your values and feels right for you.
Looking for support? Here are some ideas to get you started:
The Canadian Mental Health Association – Learn more about Mental Illness
Psychology Today – Find a registered therapist in your area.
Mindful Vitality – Learn about the mood-food connection from a registered nutritionist.
Talk to your family Doctor, and search for local mental health services in your area.
Until Next Time,
Meg
References:
Canadian Mental Health Association: https://cmha.ca/document-category/mental-health
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