Conversations around mental health have risen over the years as people are more comfortable seeking help with their mental health struggles.
As a result of normalizing mental health conversations, people aren’t insulted at the mention of therapy, nor is medication seen as a drug that “crazy” people take to be normal. What’s more? There are genuine efforts to address failing mental health that should be applauded.
The government has passed laws to make therapy, accommodation, and medication more accessible. Likewise, corporations have implemented safety nets to help people who are struggling receive the help they need.
And yet, none of the positives from mental health awareness seem to outweigh the negatives.
Fraudulent Mental Health Awareness Efforts
Although conversations around mental health are increasing, words alone cannot save anybody. It’s not enough to say the right things but to follow through with our actions.
We must accept that the mental health crisis cannot be reasoned with only by talking about it. Clearly, advice without understanding an issue is just as useless as answers that do not address the root of the problem.
By not taking mental health seriously, we risk invalidating other people’s experiences, regardless of our intentions. So, we must learn to be truly empathic with people’s struggles if ending this mental health crisis is important to us.
Stigmas Surrounding Therapy
Regardless of our mental health awareness, there are still barriers preventing people from getting the help they need. These barriers are mostly fueled by our own ignorance surrounding mental health and the fear among those suffering of having one’s struggles invalidated.
Involuntary institutionalization is a huge fear for people when it comes to therapy. Because of this fear, some may not feel safe enough to disclose personal information to licensed professionals.
Unfortunately, stigmas can also affect those struggling with going to therapy. Some people may avoid therapy because they don’t believe their rights to confidentiality will be upheld.
Others, however, may avoid therapy simply because they don’t want anyone else to know about their mental health struggles or because going to therapy would have a negative effect on their job or social life.
Another reason that people don’t go to therapy is time. Those struggling may have jobs, families, school, or other commitments that hinder them from going to therapy.
Also, people may have limited transportation. What would be a 20-minute car ride could be close to an hour if they had to take public transit. With these options, therapy would be an inconvenience.
The Expensive Cost of Free Healthcare
The best way to address the mental health crisis is with free and accessible healthcare. Many people aren’t able to receive their prescribed medication or much-needed therapy sessions to alleviate their mental health struggles.
In fact, medical debt plays a part in why people don’t seek help in the first place.
We must accept that therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal. There are various therapeutic practices and styles of therapists that can be overwhelming for mental health sufferers.
What this means is that many people may strike out with numerous therapists before they find the right fit. A mental health sufferer may have better luck finding a thread of hay in a stack of needles before they find the right therapist.
With rubber gloves and long sleeves, digging around through needles may be less painful. Unfortunately, no such safety exists when searching for the right therapist. In fact, therapy can traumatize mental health sufferers as much as their waning mental health.
This article is intended simply to provide information. It is not intended to replace advice from a physician.
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