SAYS WHO!

For most of us it is still embarrassing to talk about our mental health conditions, that is IF we are even aware that we have any type of condition for that matter. Mental conditions are so widespread. Unfortunately, lack of education and support makes it hard for people to understand they suffer from any mental condition. There is also stigma and discrimination surrounding people suffering from these conditions which makes it even harder to share with others. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 out of 8 people suffer from a mental disorder…imagine how prevalent this is in our communities and how little you hear about this.

There are very little resources allocated into funding health systems or social support for mental health and according to the WHO, the little help people receive is very poor. The most at risk are those exposed to adverse circumstances such as poverty, violence, disability, or inequality, which explains why there was a significant increase in numbers during the Pandemic. All around me, the number of mental health cases sprouted, with suicide or drug abuse at a high peak.

Mental health awareness means stimulating others to become interested in this worldwide problem. When others become more conscious and aware, it helps people suffering from any of these mental conditions to overcome stigmatization. This awareness helps their friends, their families, and their close ones to better understand their condition and to connect with support systems that might be available in the community or virtually on the web. This support could very well be an institution or simply different people or group of people that support others suffering from these conditions. Only then can people feel safe and learn that it is normal to share their experiences, vulnerabilities and worries concerning mental health problems.

There is not enough attention paid to mental health and people often neglect these mental problems in those around them because often times there is no visible proof, so people suffering from these multiple mental conditions go by unnoticed. If we educate the population at large about mental health, that will certainly result in happier and healthier communities.

It is certainly important to promote behaviours to increase self awareness, healthy practices for emotional wellbeing, and prevent suicide with educational activities. Mental health problems affect people in their relationship with their kids, their spouses, their friends, their close ones, and colleagues. Often, this raises problems such as social isolation and affects communication and interaction among people. It impacts the way we feel, think, and how we act everyday. This also affects the way we make decisions, how we solve problems, how we manage stress and how we behave towards others. This is why it is important to worry about our own mental health and why it is so important to raise awareness.