The stigma surrounding mental health is our fault

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, suicide is the second highest cause of death for Canadians, immediately after accidents. 4000 lives are lost every year to mental illness. 4000 lives that could have been saved if someone took the initiative to talk about mental health issues. If someone did not let the stigma stop them from reaching out to somebody who needed help or simply listened to somebody who needed to be heard, 4000 Canadians from this past year could still be alive today.

Mental illness. It is real. It is valid. And it is not the victim’s fault.They did not choose to have a mental illness, much like a diabetic did not choose to have diabetes. Diabetics cannot produce enough insulin. People with generalized anxiety disorder do not produce enough serotonin. Both could use medication,. Both should see a doctor, and be supported by their friends. There is only one difference: someone with diabetes does not need to hide their illness in fear that others will harshly judge them. They do not need to hide their symptoms, in fear that their friends might abandon them. Stigma. It is not real. It is not valid. And it is everybody’s fault.

We all contribute to the stigma surrounding mental illness; We all contribute when we choose to believe the stereotype that the mentally ill are dangerous and incompetent, when we make victims feel ashamed of their illness. According to Bell Let’s Talk, stigma is “the number one reason why two-thirds of those living with a mental illness do not seek help.” If stigma decreased, roughly 66% percent of those living with mental illness would receive the treatment they need, resulting in less suicides and more functioning members of society.

The most prominent problem that needs to be addressed with Canada’s society regarding mental health is that it is not discussed nearly enough as it should be. Canadians living with mental illness believe they must bury their feelings, because they are scared; they face a huge risk that people will think differently of them by expressing their illness. Sometimes, this shift of opinion is positive. But, more often than not, this shift of opinion is negative. Meaning others start to think they are abnormal or making this up, looking for attention. What needs to happen is that we become more accepting and less judgemental of those with mental illness. Which, in turn, will lead to people who seek help when necessary and learn successful coping strategies.

The first step to eliminating the stigma is being more conscientious of the expressions we use. Mental illnesses are not adjectives. They are not a punchline to a joke or a way to make your friends laugh. When you see a skinny girl, do not say “Man, that girl looks so anorexic!” Do not base mental illness assumptions off of someone’s appearance; just because someone is small framed does not mean they have an eating disorder. Also, anorexia is not a joke. It is incredibly hard to live with. A close family member of mine struggles with this disorder. Whenever she was deep in the realms of her anorexia, she definitely did not look like she had an eating disorder, as in her hip bones were not protruding from her body and her spine was not completely visible, but her body was still shutting down. Her bones were decomposing. Her metabolism slowed down to a dangerously low rate. She was put in the hospital and threatened to be fed via a feeding tube inserted in her nose.Understand this definitely is not a joke. But when she received help, she not only recovered, she prospered. She found a new appreciation for life and all it had to offer her. She created ambitious goals and regained her confidence. She became happy. And today, with the help of therapy and medication, she is still happy. Here is the potential someone can acquire with the skills that treatment provides them with. Recovery for mental illness is available. It is just stigma that likes to get in the way.

Some people feel it is unnecessary to talk about mental health since 80% of the population is not directly affected, but in fact this why it is so crucial to discuss. Even if you yourself are not suffering with a mental illness, your friend is. Your brother. Your cousin. Somebody you know is currently struggling. Mental illness is like throwing a rock in a pond. The stone drops, and the waves ripple around it. This rock represents someone with a mental illness. The waves and ripples represent their friends and family. If it is not you who has the mental illness, you are still affected.

When someone has diabetes, they inform the people in their life what they should do if their insulin levels ever drop, like giving them a sugary drink. If this person neglected to tell others about their ailment and they went into diabetic shock, the consequences could be very severe. This is the same with mental illness. Many victims experience panic attacks. Symptoms vary from person to person, but normally they consist of hyperventilation, heart palpitations, and tightening of the chest. Similar to untreated diabetic shock, unaddressed panic attacks could have critical repercussions as well, such as developing a heart condition. These two disorders, in this aspect, should not be treated differently. A diabetic and a person living with mental illness should both feel comfortable explaining to their loved ones the details of their ailment and what to do if something serious were to happen. Mental or physical, both need to be treated.

When people living with mental illness explain to their friends what they are dealing with, often they are greeted with a response like “Yeah, I’m sad sometimes, too.” Or “I’ve been stressed a little bit lately, as well.” Do not ever say this, because this is downplaying the severity of their illness. Having depression and being sad for one day is not the same thing. Having anxiety and being a little stressed out is not the same thing. Anxiety disorders and depression are illnesses. Sadness and stressfulness are emotions. Learn the difference. If someone ever comes to you to express their mental illness, understand that this was very frightening and difficult for them. Understand that how you should respond is to simply listen to them and offer your help and support.

Mental illness. It is not a choice. It is not pretend. And it is not their fault. Stigma. It is a choice. It is pretend. And it is everybody’s fault. But together, by talking about it, we can stop it. Together, by closing our mouths and opening our ears, we can stop it. By accepting all forms of illness-mental and physical-, we can stop it. By growing to accept, respect, and support one another, we can save 4000 lives every year.