3 minute read
How Trendy is Mental Illness?
You have probably seen it all over social media, the news, and possibly even at your workplace – Mental Health Awareness. What a fantastic and paramount campaign. Many of us know someone who is undoubtedly affected by mental illness, and unfortunately many of us also know someone who is no longer with us due to mental illness, leaving us to speculate about the preventability of it all and wondering whether we would have been able to help sooner if we had known more.
Fortunately, albeit slowly, the world is adopting a more accepting mental health culture with campaigns encouraging people to seek help and reassuring them that they are not alone and that all will be ok.
However, the awareness of mental illness, raised with the intense influence of social media, has also become not only an alluring topic of discussion, but also somewhat of a fashion trend.
After recently speaking to clinical psychologist Michelle McCulloch about her experiences, she shared some professional insight into the realm of mental health and the dilemmas she faces.
Michelle, who studied psychology with a passion to help people, now has to draw a very fine line between patients who are undeniably ill and in need of serious treatment, and those who seem to be listing their symptoms straight off Google.
Globally, psychologists follow what they fondly refer to as the “Bible of Psychology”, the DSM – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This “bible” has very clear criteria defining not only symptoms, but also the duration of the symptoms, the functionality of the person while experiencing these symptoms, and appropriate treatment methods.
Michelle says what often happens is that people use the correct words and terminology for their symptoms but then cannot elaborate further on how it makes them feel. “How does that make you feel?” – a common phrase we comically associate with psychologists. But this is essentially the crux of the matter. want anyone to know that they are seeing a psychologist or that they might be ill. This comes from years and years of a severe lack of understanding of what mental illness actually is. The word “crazy” was unjustly thrown around too often. As a colossal contrast, there are adolescents who seem to find that mental illness is popular and are vocal about their diagnosis and treatment. It is “cool” to diagnose yourself with depression or anxiety.
Clearly, there is no healthy balance. Either mental illness is not understood at all or it is an everyday thing that everyone should have.
Another factor not usually considered is the seriousness of the treatments involved. They can range from therapy, medication, and/or admission to a psychiatric hospital. Adolescents often present symptoms but are not actually experiencing them. They pay to see psychologists and psychiatrists unnecessarily and sometimes start medication, which can have side effects, when possibly it is not needed at all.
Social media is indeed doing a fantastic job of creating a gateway for accessible information, but overall, it seems to have more of a damaging effect. Although one might see something helpful and think “ok, so I am not alone”, within seconds one might also see something which encourages destructive behaviour, like self-harm. Presently, a common term is “Pop Psychology”, which refers to people who have no education in psychology but are sharing stories and opinions and tips which are, more often than not, huge misconceptions.
Nevertheless – Michelle made it very clear that anyone presenting symptoms of mental health should not be shrugged off or ignored because even just presenting or portraying mental illness may be a cry for help.
That having been said, it is better to be honest about what you are experiencing than go through a round of intricate treatments and medicines when they are not needed.
So where do we go from here? How do we know if we are indeed ill and in need of treatment or if we have merely diagnosed ourselves? How do we know if our friends, parents, children, colleagues, etc. are experiencing concerning symptoms or if it is merely a portrayal?
Whatever the case may be, Michelle recommends seeking professional help first and to be honest. Encourage those around you to seek real help and not internet help. Be honest about what you are experiencing and let a professional determine the way forward.
Contact Bel Esprit’s 24/7 helpline: 00264 81 455 0945 or the Childline Lifeline at 0061 226 889 if you ever need help.
Daniela Steenkamp
