Breaking the mental health stigma: ‘People are scared to talk about anything’
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — It’s the final day of Mental Health Awareness Month, and the conversation about the stigmas surrounding mental health and the hidden struggles people go through continues beyond the month of May.
Doctors and mental health advocates say it’s essential to decrease the stigma around mental health and break down the barriers to accessing care.
Health experts say people struggling with mental health conditions may not always recognize when they need help, so learning to talk about and understand mental health needs may be the first step to recovery.
Mental health issues are more common than you may think. Data from United Healthcare shows that one out of five adults in the U.S. experience a mental health issue, and 31 percent of young adults ages 18 to 25 live with a mental illness.
Despite a cultural charge to decrease stigmas related to mental health, more than half of people with mental illness do not seek help.
Ravi Johar, a medical officer with United Healthcare, suggests we must prioritize mental health and physical health to help normalize mental health discussions.
“People are scared to talk about anything. That leads to a lot of self-stigma where you start to internalize things feel worst about things, and feel bad about having an illness, and people have to realize that mental health is just the same as physical health. It is like someone being ashamed over the fact they have diabetes or thyroid disease. It’s an illness that you need to have treated,” said Johar.
Experts believe in understanding potential signs or symptoms of mental illness like loss of interest in people and activities, restlessness or hopelessness, irritability or anger, or changes in sleeping habits and thoughts of self-harm or suicide are vital to helping avoid a crisis.
“Having a support system and the help you may need, maybe from your family, friend, or church, is a great place to start. If you see someone struggling, reach out to them. Take them for a cup of coffee and say hey. You haven’t seemed yourself. What can I do to help? Sometimes that’s all you need to get started,” said Johar.
He also suggested practicing self-care. Johar says exercising regularly, eating healthy meals, and staying hydrated may help improve your mental and physical health. It’s also recommended to try out mindful activities like meditation or breathing exercises may also help boost your mood.