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Mental Health is Essential
Mental Health Is Essential
By: Mary Mathieu
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47.6 million. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), this is the amount of people in the U.S. that were diagnosed with a mental health disorder in the year 2018. This means that one out of every five Americans battle mental illness each day. Despite these statistics, the stigma surrounding mental health is still very real. Mental illness is often ridiculed due to its “invisibility,” but this invisibility is often a result of ignorance. Education is key to ending the stigma surrounding mental health. When we choose to educate ourselves on mental illness, we are choosing to save lives. People who are diagnosed with a mental health disorder need someone to truly understand them, just as any one does. Knowledge is essential to this understanding.
At the end of the day, we all want to know that we are not alone and that we have someone to support us in our darkest times. This universal longing is the same even for those living with mental illness. Despite frequently being outcasted, individuals living with a mental health disorder are a lot more alike than different when compared to individuals not living with mental illness. By choosing to work towards the end of the stigma surrounding mental health, we are caring for our friends, classmates and families. As USF Psychology student Rebecca Giese states, “The stigma surrounding mental health is an awful and terrible thing that leads those who are suffering from it to feel as if they cannot escape the feeling of being judged by others for being open about their mental health. We normalize talking about physical health by helping those with broken arms and legs. Why can we not do that with mental health and help those with broken minds and thoughts?” The signs of mental illness often go unnoticed, even among the people we encounter each day, but they do not have to anymore. We can be the change if we choose to be.
The Mayo Clinic defines stigma as “someone viewing you in a negative way because you have a distinguishing characteristic or personal trait that is thought to be, or actually is, a disadvantage (a negative stereotype).” The stigma surrounding mental health is one such stigma that ridicules individuals living with mental illness. They are discriminated against just because they are different. Why is being different such a bad thing? Some of the greatest people of the world— Mother Theresa, Gandhi and even St. Francis himself— were different but look at how many people love and respect them. They chose a life of service and poverty over a life of luxury, something that most people cannot even imagine. Their lifestyle often did not make sense to others but they continued to be the person God had created them to be, even amid criticism. They did not let others or even their own minds get in the way of the plan that God had made for them. It goes to show us that it is our differences that make us great, not our similarities. Staying true to who you are, especially when battling mental illness, is extremely difficult but not impossible. Amid criticism, personal discovery and growth are awakening. No one or nothing (even mental illness) can stop you from becoming the person you are meant to be if you believe in yourself. The pathway to forgiveness and acceptance starts with self-love. Once you find self-compassion, everything else will fall into place.
If you are an individual living with mental illness, know that you are not alone. Despite the stigma, mental illness is still very real in the lives of many. It is a scary war to face. Some battles in the war will be lost but others will be won. Despite the war, the beauty of life surrounds us. Even on our darkest days, there will be a light. The people we consider friends and family are the ones that help us prove victorious over the enemy known as mental illness. With them by our side, we are invincible. We all need support and it is okay to not be okay. We do not have to put on a brave face anymore, and act as if nothing in the world bothers us. We can “fake it till we make it” all we want but that will never solve anything. Being authentic is essential, because without authenticity, others will not know that we need help. Needing help is not a sign of weakness. In fact, it is a sign of strength because with asking for help, you are being vulnerable. Vulnerability is a frightening concept, but with the fear it provokes, a new sense of strength in the individual arises. Being authentic and vulnerable are two of the greatest strengths today, especially with the stigma surrounding mental health being present. We may feel like we need to have it all together but none of us really do. We are all just doing our best to make it by each day, especially during the current pandemic. There is no specific manual that teaches us how to be happy, unfortunately. We all have our own journey to embark on to explore and define happiness for ourselves. Along the way, remember that it is more than okay to ask for help. Asking for help takes tremendous strength and you are strongly admired for doing so. You are a survivor and always will be. And to those supporting a loved one battling mental illness, thank you for being a mental health hero.
If you are struggling mentally, please make sure to visit the USF Counseling Center located on the 3rd floor of Motherhouse. USF’s Sister Gayle regularly encourages students to reach out for help. “I don’t hesitate to tell students that I see a therapist. It’s my way of helping to remove the stigma. It’s okay to seek support from a professional,” Gayle states. The USF counseling office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. To learn more, visit the USF Counseling Center online site at https://www.stfrancis.edu/student-affairs/counselingwellness-center/. Amid COVID-19, we all need extra help. It is okay to need this help. You do not have to go through this alone anymore. Your USF family is here for you!
