Slashing the Stigma
“Crazy people go to therapy.” That is a common statement heard by many. This collection of words is believed to be true simply because that is what previous generations have fed us to believe. Television and other forms of media do not help this issue either. There is such a stigma around mental health and receiving therapy, when in reality it is just like going to the doctor for a checkup. It is a way to maintain our internal well-being. As a society, we should work towards going to counseling for day to day life obstacles. Life doesn’t have to get really bad for someone to go get help, but this tends to be the case. But why can’t we just prevent that person from getting hurt the first time around? So, how can we work towards ending the stigma saying that therapy is for crazy people, or mental illness means someone is unstable?
A huge thing that can be done would be to start by switching your own mindset. Yes…I said it! Stop thinking that therapy is to help people with their issues, and start thinking that it is to maintain a secure mindset. With that, you will talk about it differently, and in return others will change the way they think about it. It’s a domino effect. Plus, it’s a better way of looking at things.
Also, remember that the person with the mental illness is not the illness itself, but they live with the illness. Once you begin speaking about it like that, it will make a huge difference. People tend to say things like, “she is autistic,” rather than, “she has autism.” This simple change in sentence structure can make a world of difference to that person. By doing this, we can eventually shift the way others look at mental illness and the people living with it. This is just one simple thing that can be done.
Lastly, being an advocate and educating yourself is a huge assistance. Society simply doesn’t know a lot about mental illness, and that is one of the biggest issues. If we educate ourselves on the topic, we put ourselves in a position to support the cause. With that, we can inform others. Many are unaware and are just influenced by the rumors. This is how the problem was started and education can slash that.
To conclude, mental illness is a very REAL thing, and the stigma around it is even realer. If we come together to simply have a better understanding, then we have the potential to change the reputation that mental illness and going to therapy has. These people are not crazy. It is just like going to the doctor for a wellness check-up. We can fix this for our future generations. One step at a time!
Written by Jessica Skrelunas