The topic of mental health continues but there appears to be mixed reactions, emotions and opinions towards a journey towards fostering a more inclusive and understanding society. In this regard, it is quite crucial to dismantle the judgmentally harmful stigma associated with mental illness.
A major prevailing misconception is the ‘crazy’ label on those who are experiencing mental health challenges. This is quite unfortunate and needs to change because quite frankly, the reality is that anyone is vulnerable when it comes to such challenges which applies to the most seemingly strongest and bravest people we know personally or know about.
Global statistics point to the reality that mental health conditions affect millions of people regardless of age, gender, race, social status or any such factors. It is easy to judge someone like a vagrant on the street as being “crazy” or as we say in local terms that he or she “head no good” which is just how those among us experiencing mental health challenges are seen or referred to as.
In general, the sad reality is that this kind of labelling in using insulting terms not only perpetuates the harmful stigma but also creates barriers in seeking help and understanding. Simply telling someone ‘Don’t worry, be happy’ or
‘Don’t take on that’, ‘Somebody else got it worse than you’ or even telling to him or her to smile after observing some level of sadness is not helpful unless you genuinely seek to understand by listening to their silent cries, and/or having the understanding that mental health is like a scale which can tilt or go about in ways that can affect anyone’s mental health thus causing challenges. So let the conversations continue for us as a society by encouraging a more understanding, compassionate, humanitarian and informed approach when it comes to mental health.
Experiencing mental health challenges does not mean that someone is “crazy” or “going crazy”. Therefore, the sooner we stand united as a community and global society in breaking down the negative stereotype then the sooner we can get to fostering a culture of support and acknowledgement that mental health is a significant aspect of our well-being as a people.
