World Mental Health Day
1:31 amHi beautiful people!
Today, 10th October, is World Mental Health Day, hosted by the World Federation for Mental Health. So, take a moment to think: how do you feel about mental health? Mental health (MH), by the way, does not only refer to MH disorders, but all aspects of MH - good and poor. But, as we live in a society where still there is a lot of stigma towards MH problems, I'm going to talk about that. I've talked about MH stigma previously too (it's a very important topic for me!), you can check that post out here and my poem on it.
Okay, now let me rephrase what I initially asked: how do you feel about poor mental health? When you think of someone suffering from a MH disorder, what thoughts come to mind? It is very likely that one of your loved ones or acquaintances is or has been suffering from a MH problem. MH problems are very common. And you know what? That's ok. It's ok to be going through MH issues. Some well-known MH disorders such as depression and anxiety are not unknown to most people, but other disorders such as schizophrenia result in a lot of speculation. Unfortunately the media tends to place a heavy bias on negative aspects of such disorders. News headlines seem to depict the 'worst' side of a mentally ill individual. This is not always the case. Yes, some people with severe MH problems can tend to behave in a dangerous way, but that can be said about 'normal' people too, right? For example, not all 'normal' people are criminals, yet 'normal' people do commit crimes. Similarly, not all mentally unwell people are criminals, but some do commit crimes and that's what the media likes to exaggerate. I'm mainly talking about schizophrenia here, which is a very misunderstood MH disorder.
As with any health problem, support is available. Physical health problems are rarely stigmatised against, at least not to the extent to MH problems. Society really needs to have a broader mind and be more receptive to such sensitive topics. Love and support people experiencing MH disorders. Be more understanding of what they are going through rather than becoming distant with them.
I have discussed MH problems in some of my previous blog posts which you can have a read if you wish: DEPRESSION, EATING DISORDERS, SCHIZOPHRENIA, ANXIETY.
I have always been a promoter for MH awareness and volunteered a lot in the past for people experiencing poor mental health. I still aim to reduce MH stigma (or at least try) as I feel it is still a big concern. Luckily there are people out there who are also keen on providing support and are not judgemental towards friends/family members going through MH problems. Let's all share awareness for a positive MH outlook for everyone and provide support to those who need it. Thank you :)
Peace and love,
Ayesha xxx
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2 comments
I think it's great that there is more MH awareness now! It's important not only to aid those who are suffering in silence, but also to educate people like me who have had little engagement with people who suffer with MH issues. I saw a quote from Stephen Fry which recently which said, "If you know someone who's depressed, please resolve never to ask them why." - It sounds stupid but I've always asked why! I didn't realise this question shouldn't be asked - even though I've always tried to be as supportive as possible to my friends going through hard times.
ReplyDeleteTara x
Thank you so much for the informative post!
ReplyDeleteCandice | Beauty Candy Loves
Thank you for reading and commenting! Feel free to leave your blog link so I can check it out, but please no follow-for-follow requests! ♥