Mental Health Issues Deserve More Attention!

For many people who struggle with mental illness, it is a common feeling to have to deal with not wanting to leave the house, even refusing to get out of bed, and sometimes, just doing the bare minimum in everything you need to get done. To some, it may sound bizarre, but it is actually a reality for many.

What it Feels Like To Have a Mental Illness

Sometimes, it can feel like a constant uphill struggle just to be alright each day — this means that just holding yourself together feels like a daily mission. This is applicable for all kinds of mental illnesses as they all place strain or pressure on a person to behave a certain way or to suppress certain feelings in an effort to be “like everyone else”.

Anyone Can Have Mental Issues

You don’t need to be falling off the wagon to be diagnosed with a mental illness. This means you don’t have to be at the extreme. Even people who are usually vibrant and social find that they have periods of depression where they don’t want to utter a word. Mental issues range from mild to severe and everything in between. Mental problems do not choose people based on culture, race, financial/social status, religious beliefs, or anything else. Anyone can have mental problems.

Mental Health Awareness

People who come to realize that they do have mental issues hold themselves back from seeking treatment simply because of the fear of being judged and the stigma attached to mental health issues. In addition to the constant battle within your mind and emotions, you have to contend with the fact that everywhere in the world, people are making fun of the mentally challenged, the mentally unstable, or those with any mental problems. If they aren’t making fun of them, they are ostracizing them, excluding them from social circles or simply treating them differently. There are mental health awareness days in many parts of the world where awareness is raised to this issue, and it helps people with mental health problems to come out of their shell and find help without the fear of being looked at differently.

How You Can Help

Creating a safe space is absolutely important for people with any type of mental problem to begin healing or even to acknowledge that they do have problems. You can help someone you know who may be having problems like this by gently bringing up the topic and approaching the idea of mental health subtly to help them feel safe. When you are sure that they trust you, you can begin asking them about their feelings and sharing some of your own experiences if you have any.

How Much To Help

People do not generally want to seek professional help, and oftentimes, if the mental problems are not part of a serious mental condition, just having the unconditional and unfailing support of a friend is all it takes to give them the strength and courage to pull through tough times and overcome their feelings of depression or melancholy. However, it is important not to leave a friend who is in obvious need of professional help to their own devices. Do not think that your support is enough to help a person who may be suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or anything similar. These are serious conditions, and there are medications that can be prescribed to help manage the symptoms.

As A Parent

Raising children does become difficult at times, and sometimes, you do not know whether your child is behaving in a normal way or not. If you raise your child by teaching them that it is good to speak about their feelings and thoughts and if you also share yours with them, you will develop a safe space where your child will feel safe to express themselves to you. Do not judge your children or force them to behave or be like anybody else. Help them to always feel comfortable about who they are. Always be approachable and open to their discussions. This will go a long way in helping to forge a strong relationship with your child who will become a teenager and undergo many conflicting emotions, thoughts, and hormonal changes that will leave them a little lost sometimes — which is normal. As a parent, do not be alarmed and if you do feel that your child may need help, then seek professional help before matters get worse.

Mental health is important, and raising awareness is even more important for those struggling with mental issues. Do everything you can to make a difference in your community and your social circle to change the way people think about mental health.