The Stigma of Mental Health Issue
Over the years, you feel that you are different from other people in terms of how you handle what is on your mind. You notice that if you face a problem, be in study, work, relationship, financial, and so on, you cannot help yourself not to keep thinking about it day and night.
This non-stop rumination keeps going on that it begins to affect your daily life. You feel tired all the time, you are easily upset about small things, and you lost interest in your hobbies. You try to find out what is happening to yourself by researching topics related to mental health. You read books, listen to audiobooks, reading articles, and you feel that you begin to see a clearer picture of the issue.
However, when you try to talk to your friends about what you are going through, they give you a strange look, some of them find it amusing and tell you not to worry about it. They would say thing like “It’s only on your mind”, “Shake it off”, “Get over it”. And afterward, some of them begin to avoid meeting or talking to you.
It hurts. And you begin to wonder that you are a broken human being, that there is no hope for you to get better and live normally.
Well, it is a sad fact that many people and the world still put a stigma on people that have mental health issues.
However, they are wrong. You are not broken. Everyone is different. And as with other health issues, mental is just another form of issue. You just need to find a way to handle it. It is okay not to be okay.
“It is OKAY
NOT to be okay”.
Here is how:
- Find a support group. Often a support group with complete strangers is better than a discussion with people that you know. The anonymity gives you space and safety from being judged personally. You would be able to share your issue and get inspiration from hearing others’ experiences.
- Speak out against the stigma. The good news nowadays is the world begin to acknowledge the importance of mental health. Maybe not enough acknowledged, but it is starting. So, if you are studying, you can approach the school counselor, if you are working you can approach HR. Many companies now assigned specialized personnel or 3rd party to help employees in this regard.
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