Glorification and desensitization of mental health

While Mental Health awareness has increased some have begun to over normalize it, thus reducing the severity of mental illnesses

BY MARTA RODRIGUEZ, CONTENT EDITOR

Thoughts are continuous words; memories and phrases that often cause people to overthink and fall into endless battles with the devastating effects of mental illness. Yet, as conversations surrounding mental health become increasingly normalized, some people have begun glorifying the diagnoses, causing the severity of these illnesses to be devalued.

Historically, mental illness has been a taboo topic that individuals and families hide from the public eye. Given that one in four Americans suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder and even more experience symptoms according to the National Institute of Mental Health, many members of Generation Z have begun destigmatizing the battles millions face everyday by sharing their personal experiences. While this is a step in the right direction because it helps those suffering know they are not alone, it also opens the door for some to praise mental disorders, using phrases like ‘depression’ or ‘anxiety’ to describe their everyday emotions. This has led people to self-diagnose themselves based on symptoms that everyone experiences, which can be dangerous when dealing with such complex illnesses.

During an interview with CBS News, Chief of Medicine and professor at John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica Anton Bilchik mentioned that self-diagnosing based on a simple internet search can cause treatable and curable conditions to not only be missed but for the treatment to be delayed.

“Society views mental health as a trend because of social media. It is either joked about or believed to be a hyperbolic excuse instead of given the space it deserves,” junior Jana Faour said.

Today’s society has associated having a challenging life as something common and caused it to be seen as a rite of passage. Social pressure has led some people to believe that they have mental illnesses and used that as a way to become more popular. In an interview with Girlboss magazine, clinical psychologist Dr. Lauren Harb explained that when people use words like bipolar to describe a mood swing, it can be hurtful and impairing to those who actually suffer from such diagnoses.

Although it is true that mental illnesses are on the rise, it is being portrayed by some as more of a joke than an actual illness. This could then cause teens who are actually suffering from a mental illness to overlook their symptoms, attributing them to everyday issues.

“ I think society has gotten better in comparison to the previous decades in accepting mental health as an issue of concern and compassion, but we still have lengths to go to provide real help,” chemistry teacher Elizabeth Kiely said.

Over time, people have debated the effects of the open conversation that has since become a part of mental health culture. Contrasting ideas on whether spreading more awareness is beneficial and if these benefits ultimately outweigh the negatives causes the controversy to deepen.

Pros

According to American Psychiatric Association, a mental illness is a condition that causes changes in emotions, thinking or behavior. Although most cases do not entail physical impairment, mental illnesses can restrict people’s abilities to perform daily functions by causing headaches, fast heart rates and brain damage, among other things. With more people being affected by these disorders due to the pandemic and isolation, mental health awareness helps those who are too scared to reach out for help. In recent years, mental health awareness has risen substantially, inspiring many psychologists to come up with resources to accommodate those in need of help.

“With people being locked down at home and limited contact with people, a demand for therapists has grown since the pandemic began,” therapist Ryan Allen said in an interview with Local12.

Therapists have begun expanding their offices to platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter, offering free advice as an extra aid to those who may not be able to afford it. Organizations like Mental Health America created activities such as self-screenings and Instagram Lives with guest speakers throughout Mental Health Month to demonstrate the importance of having good mental health. Psychologists have also found that hashtags and viral videos on social media platforms have a massive impact by reaching a lot of people in a short amount of time. During the loneliness and isolation of the pandemic, these resources were easier to access for those in full lockdown.

“I’ve been creating videos about how to manage the worry and anxiety that can come with everything going on in the world,” psychologist Dr. Julie Smith said in an interview with CNN.

Further, people who are currently battling with mental health and those who have suffered in the past are sharing videos online, hoping to motivate those feeling defeated. According to the CDC, about two-thirds of people diagnosed with mental disorders do not pursue treatment. Additionally, given that resources such as medicine or therapy can be hard to access for those that cannot afford it, sharing medical advice on free platforms can help those who may otherwise suffer in silence. Schools are beginning to raise more awareness about mental health by providing students with educational videos, activities and speakers. New York mental health experts believe that by recognizing these mental illnesses earlier on and helping, is more likely to have a positive outcome for the students. This can be seen through their efforts of reaching out to the students they notice are having trouble and guiding them to get better.

“Employees are being encouraged to take mental health personal development workshops, and positions within the school system such as Mental Health Coordinator have been created to bridge the cap and connect students with resources in the community” school counselor Stephanie Nuñez-Moreno said John Green, a well known author and educational content creator, has opened up about his Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, explaining how it has affected his day-to-day life. Feeling as if their emotions are validated, fans felt more connected to him and were able to obtain a better understanding of what their disorder entailed.

“I feel that everyday there are more outlets for help which can be useful for teens that do not have support from people they know personally,” junior Alexa Torres said. By spreading more awareness on mental disorders and challenging people to talk about them, those who do not battle with these diseases have become more aware of the struggles others face as well.

Cons

While increasing conversations about mental health have facilitated help for many who struggle with conditions such as depression or anxiety, the coinage of these terms has also led to the glorification of such diagnoses.

What is not shown from behind the scenes is that those trying to overcome these illnesses cannot perform the tasks often taken for granted such as getting out of bed, taking a shower and eating. According to Mental Health America, “it can feel like something is psychically preventing you from moving, like there’s nothing worth getting out of bed for or as if the world is too loud.”

For example, Euphoria, a show that tells the lives of high school students, was intended to express the reality of mental illnesses and drug abuse, not only the symptoms that are considered “trendy.” It was made to give people a better understanding of mental illnesses and for them to see how important mental health is. The first season’s glorification of mental disorders and using drugs as their gateway, resulted in Euphoria becoming a trending aesthetic on tik tok and a viral theme for parties. Although this was good for the show's spotlight it undermined its purpose, changing the way people now viewed the episodes.

The first of two premiere episodes released before Euphoria Season 2, however, entailed a deeper look into the main character, Rue’s battle to remain sober. Viewers claimed the sorrow nature of the sneak peak was apathetic, as they were greeted with the reality of what mental health entails. These reactions proved that society has expectations for the mental illnesses that come with a myriad of side effects and hardships, all of which may not be very glamorous for the public to enjoy. Additionally, others have taken these illnesses portrayed in movies or social media and turned them into characteristics they aspire to have in the future.

“I think social media lends towards the abuse of using mental illnesses as identities for individuals who are not truly suffering from such issues,” Kiely said. “It breeds social media attention, meaning it takes away from many who are truly suffering.”

As a way to spread more awareness of mental illnesses, social media platforms have turned to tribal marketing, a strategy where people share posts about common interests such as political tendency and celebrity drama. The downside of tribal marketing is that although extremely influential, it can be known as one of the most dangerous tactics. The common use of names of mental illness when referring to human emotions ultimately finds a way into the daily vocabulary of those people.

In some cases, the wide range of definitions for these illnesses have confused society and led people to not understand the seriousness of these disorders. As a result, family members have often dismissed the less severe conditions. Harvard Health stated in 2008 that anxiety has now been tied back to some chronic physical illnesses such as heart disease and respiratory disorders, proving that it is much more than just stress.

“Mental Illnesses are portrayed somewhat accurately, but only tend to show the more obvious cases when there are a variety of uncommon ones, making it harder for those suffering to relate,” senior Gianni Guirola said.

Struggling with mental health is never easy and although society has done a better job at acknowledging these illnesses exist, it has caused some to glamorize them. In order to keep spreading awareness about mental health, people need to familiarize themselves more with the topic and use caution when discussing them. Even though this might seem like an insignificant step, it is one that will have a great impact on generations to come.