Mental Health Awareness
In the 21st century, the world of mental health maintains varying discourse regarding stigma, accessibility, and its overall importance on both individual and community levels. Mutual Ground Inc. is an agency that understands the degree of impact that trauma can have on an individual’s mental health. Trauma changes the way the brain and body work, so it is important to intervene and work towards healing or coping. According to the World Health Organization (2022), mental health is “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.” If mental health is crucial to the way people operate in everyday life then why is it often pushed aside?
Image Source: NAMI
Stigma and accessibility make it difficult for people to seek help and get connected to mental health services, such as counseling, support groups, and medication prescription. To clarify, stigma is a set of negative beliefs that is held in regards to something and these set of beliefs are usually held by a group of people. The stigma surrounding mental health reinforces the idea that people who struggle with depression, anxiety, mood disorders, etc. are not “normal” and results in ostracizing individuals with mental health issues. However, 1 in 5 Americans struggle with issues relating to mental health, and 1 in 25 adults have serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2023). Refusing to acknowledge mental health issues and refusing to seek help can continue to increase feelings of distress and possible worsening of symptoms. It is the goal for all mental health providers, including Mutual Ground to remove stigma and normalize getting help.
As mentioned earlier, accessibility is also a common barrier to receiving mental health care, but there are other ways to get help. Services like crisis and talk hotlines, support groups, and walk-in services are useful for individuals struggling to get mental health attention and it can help alleviate pent up feelings and emotions. When supporting a friend or family member who struggles with their mental health providing empathy and encouragement to seek more help can make a difference. If you or someone you know is becoming alarmingly overwhelmed and in crisis call 988. 988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and its callers will be connected to a local agency that will respond with compassionate support. The caller will also be connected to the appropriate resources in order to meet their immediate needs. Mental Health Awareness Month is important for creating change and making it easier to pursue care for mental health related issues. It is a time of reflection and honesty on how we can make the world of mental health better for everyone.
Written by
Arilene Valdez
Residential Counselor at Mutual Ground