In a world where we are all busy, between deadlines, responsibilities, and societal pressures, there seems to be one component of life that we sometimes forget about: mental health and its importance. While there have been many positive strides in how society views mental health, it is still a topic that comes with silence and stigma for so many individuals struggling. Do you find yourself wanting to speak up about your own mental health or mental health in general? This blog will explore why mental health matters, and the crucial reasons of why breaking the silence and building resilience in our communities is so important.
- Destigmatizing Mental Illness: Far too often individuals who struggle with mental health live in fear and shame around how they are feeling. Fear and shame of judgment from others is often felt due to the lack of open discussion whether that be in your family, friend group, or community. Openly discussing mental health is imperative in challenging stereotypes, to create a more supportive and understanding environment for those affected by mental illness to feel comfortable and safe to talk about their struggles.
- Raising Awareness and Understanding: Talking about mental health can help in raising awareness around mental illness and its complexities. When people work to shine a light on the importance and diversity of mental health conditions, we are helping to empower individuals to not only recognize the symptoms, but also seek appropriate treatment to be able to support themselves and the people in their lives effectively.
- Encouraging Help-Seeking Behavior: Admitting that we need help can be scary. It is easy for us to think that reaching out for help makes us weak or attention seeking. By allowing an open dialogue for mental health we help to teach others that is okay to ask for help. Seeking help is a crucial step towards healing and recovery. Helping the people in our lives to feel supported and heard through open dialogue, and providing recourses can encourage positive change without shame and judgement.
- Promoting Resilience and Well-being: Promoting the importance of self-care can help in developing resilience needed to bounce back from adversity and thrive. Incorporating self-care can include a variety of activities and tools including, mindfulness, exercise, creative expression, maintaining healthy relationships, and setting boundaries in your personal life.
- Advocating for Systemic Change: Lastly, discussing mental health is essential in advocating for systemic change. This can be done by challenging policies that are discriminatory, getting involved in improving access to mental health care, and taking an initiative in promoting wellness in the workplace. A society that promotes the importance of mental health helps to create an opportunity for everyone to thrive.
Mental health matters because it affects every aspect of our lives from relationships and work performance to our overall well-being and quality of life. When we break the silence around mental health, we help to encourage others to not only speak up and advocate for change but also speak up about their own struggles. Often individuals suffer in silence because they are afraid of what others may think. They may feel alone in their struggles and that the people in their lives won’t understand. In 2022 it was reported through statistics Canada that over 5 million Canadians 15 or older met the criteria for a variety of mental illnesses including major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and general anxiety disorder. When discussions around mental health, resources, and advocacy for change are shared we are one step closer to making individuals feel heard and comfortable to reach out for help. Mental health matters and as society we should be encouraging and seeking out change!
Resources:
https://www.ontarioshores.ca/advocacy
https://ontario.cmha.ca/get-involved/speak-up-for-mental-health/