First, let me start by making this clear, this is NOT an article about the reproductive parts of plants. When you think of mental health, you often think about Depression, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, it is more than that; mental health is something that we all have. When our mind is affected by external and sometimes internal factors, it takes a toll on our mental well-being. Everybody goes through rough patches in life, but sometimes the trough becomes a never-ending phase and sends people into depression. It further develops as a mental health condition as many are resisting to seek help, but it is at times the only thing that can help. A bulk of the reason that many of us do not seek help is that we fear judgement. It is the stigma around mental health that is the sole reason so many of us are being dominated by it.
The effects of the stigma are detrimental and have negative impacts on everyone. The message that needs to be conveyed is that the stigma no longer exists. However, we are not there yet and it will take many people to reach an Elysium where no one is judged, discriminated and the stigma no longer exists. Several cases in the real world show the application of fear of judgement and its negative impacts outlined below.
While scrolling through my Instagram feed, I came across a post with a quote “How is a sick day a sick day if no one even believes you are sick.” After being stuck in my head for several days, I came to the realization, the statement was true. Many employers require a doctor’s note to show that the employee is not at a capacity to work that day. When it comes to mental health, the process is not as simple as getting a note from your family doctor. This is why many conditions only get worse, they fear the judgement of going to a doctor and are forced to work when they are unwell. It is time that we put an end to the judgment. The revolutionary #MeToo movement transformed the ability for women to stand up for their rights. It is time for reform in the way we as humans think of mental health.
Another example is just a few days back, I asked my friend “If you were experiencing the symptoms of the flu, would you visit a doctor”. He immediately replied, “of course I would, it could kill me”. I then put up to him the question “If you were feeling upset daily, to a point where it was affecting your school life, would you see a doctor?” To no shock within seconds, he had a reply, “Are you joking Aditya? What would people say if they saw me going to a doctor too because I was upset!” This is just one example out of thousands, and it provides us with an insight of how we as humans are programmed to think, when asking the question I mentioned nothing of mental health, his answer was still adamant. It shows the thinking that our brains complete without any external influence. We often deem things that are not apparent that hurt us as unimportant. It is a fault amongst our thinking, and the only way to create the reform is to raise awareness ultimately.
High school is a tough place where there are constant worries about grades, tests and assignments. The third factor of mental health will only worsen the situation, there are several instances where children are bullied go by without a teacher intervening. A more personal factor such as a mental health problem has an even higher chance of going by without any intervening. This is a direct cause of student suicide especially due to pressure with achieving high marks and succeeding in class. It is of high importance that the eradication of the stigma is brought in the high school setting as is likely to be the most successful as the students of today are the leaders of tomorrow.
Changing the way we think is not a simple task and takes many people to influence the change. It is one of the reasons I started this website as together we can defeat the stigma. The world has already taken a step in the right direction, but we must do more. It is time for a change, help join the movement and contact us, actimind.developers@gmail.com.
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