Opinion | Mental Health Stigma in Modern Society

“Mental health conditions can cause difficulties in all aspects of life, including relationships with family, friends and community. They can result from or lead to problems at School and at work.”
“Mental health conditions often has a ‘ripple effect’ on families, Creating tension, uncertainty, stress and sometimes significant changes in how people live their lives. Different family members are likely to be affected in different ways”.

These days, people are talking more about mental health, but let’s face it, there’s still a big deal of stigma floating around. Even though everyone’s trying to be more aware and supportive, a lot of folks still get treated pretty crappy because of mental health stuff. The thing is, this stigma has been around for ages, like really deep, complicated stuff that comes from Old-School ideas and the way different cultures see things.
Back in the day, if someone had mental health issues, they were often seen as weak or like they had some serious personal flaw. And, sadly, those ideas are still hanging around, kind of like that one bad smell you can’t get rid of. You see it in how the media shows mental illness, making it look scary or like something that only happens to people who aren’t like us. It’s all over the place, and it doesn’t help.
Because of this stigma, a lot of people are too scared to talk about their mental health. They’re worried that if they admit they’re not okay, everyone’s going to judge them or think they are dangerous. And that’s not cool at all. It turns out that almost Two-Thirds of people with mental health issues don’t go to a doctor or talk to anyone about it, according to the World Health Organization. That’s a lot of people not getting the help they need.
The place where We spend a precious time of Our lives, like work, is super important in all this. Some companies are starting to get it and are trying to make things better for their employees. They are giving people mental health days and making sure there is help available, like counselling, and trying to make work a more cool place to be when You are dealing with mental health problem.
Schools are getting in on it too, which is pretty neat. They are teaching kids about mental health and how to take care of themselves and their friends. It is all about making sure everyone grows up knowing it is okay to talk about their feelings and that there is nothing worry about getting help.
But, let Us not kid Ourselves, there is still a lot of work to do. Sometimes, people’s ideas about mental health just don’t change fast enough, and that’s tough for those who are dealing with it. And then there is social media, which can be both a good and bad thing. It is a place where people can share their stories and feel less alone, but at the same time, it is like everyone is trying to show off their perfect lives, which can make you feel pretty crappy if You are not feeling so hot.
So, what do we do about it? Well, We have going start by teaching people the right stuff about mental health. Schools and communities need to keep pushing for better education and more understanding. We need to tell the stories of people who have been through tough times and come out the other side, showing that it’s possible to live a good life even with mental health issues.
Doctors and nurses have a big part to play, too. They need to be super nice and supportive when people do come for help. It’s about making sure everyone feels comfortable talking about their mental health without worrying about being judged.
But really, it’s about all of us. We need to build communities where people can lean on each other and not feel like outsiders. Places where We can all be honest about our struggles and not be afraid of what others will think.
This whole stigma thing is a huge mountain to climb, but We are making progress. And if we keep going, talking, and supporting each other, We can get to a place where mental health is just another part of who We are, like having a cold or breaking a leg. We are all human, and sometimes Our brains need a bit of rest too. So let’s keep pushing and make sure everyone has a fair shot at living their best life, mental health and all.
Connect with other people. Good relationships are important for Your mental wellbeing.
(Writer is a Columnist and a Teacher By Profession and Can be Contacted on mukhtar.qur@gmail.com)