Attacking the Stigma of Mental Health

Mental health is something that is often not discussed due to its somewhat Taboo nature. We have gone from a time where individuals with mental illness were locked in Asylums for life and allowed to have their brains destroyed from the inside out. With the introduction of medication, mainly Thorazine, we were able to treat these individuals, but often only to the point of sedation. While some could move onto living functional lives, many more were incapacitated by the illness. That was over 50 years ago and the advances we have made in both pharmacological treatments and non-pharm treatments is substantial.

I have worked in the mental health field for over 12 years and even in that short time I saw a dramatic change in the way individuals were viewed and treated. My journey into mental health started after I saw how someone very close to me suffered with a mental illness. From the numerous med changes and hospitalizations to the fear of being able to disclose what she was going through. I experienced first hand all of the ups and downs that one can go through dealing with this.

Media has begun to shed more light on mental health and we as a society need to make sure that the light stays positive. Depression and anxiety and prevalent much more than we know and are still left undiagnosed and untreated due to the stigma that surrounds seeking treatment.

Take a moment out of your day and think about someone you know that might be in need. Offer them support, lend them your ear, let them know you are there is and when they need you. Sometimes just knowing their is support is enough to move someone to seek help.