You Don't Have to Climb Mental Health Mountains Alone

"Needing support for your mental health can still carry stigma. For example, you may have been negatively judged by your classmates when you were a child as you had trouble sitting still in class. A family member may have been critical when they learned that you and your partner were going to couples therapy. Or you may have worried that you wouldn't get promoted if your boss learned that you sometimes had panic attacks before giving presentations."

"Everyone has and needs to care for their mental health. Using the biopsychosocial framework, your psychological (mental) health is interwoven with your biological (physical), and social health. Due to your specific genetics, life experiences, and coping skills, the ways that you are able to care of your mental health or respond to a crisis may look vastly different from someone else."

"You are unique, important, and deserving of support and care in all facets of your life. This includes your mental health. You may ignore your mental health or feel like you should be able to "just get over it." But consider the analogy of having diabetes."

"Trying to shame or guilt yourself out of getting support for your mental health is the same as if you tried to do so for your physical or social health. There are supports to help you care for yourself."

Mental health support can carry stigma, leading to negative judgments from classmates, family, or employers. Mental health is part of overall health and is interconnected with biological and social well-being through a biopsychosocial framework. Genetics, life experiences, and coping skills shape how people care for mental health and respond to crises. People are unique and deserving of support and care in all facets of life, including mental health. Avoiding mental health or telling oneself to “just get over it” can be harmful. The diabetes analogy shows that when a body system is not functioning properly, reaching out for support and treatment is appropriate rather than shaming oneself.

Read at Psychology Today