Mental Health Awareness and Stigma

In the present climate, it is an important and basic need to learn about mental health issues and how one should overcome it because according to the American Psychological Association, the percentage of people having mental health issues have increased immensely over the past decades.

To deal with mental health problems first we have to know what mental health and mental illness mean.

What is Mental Health?

Mental health is the ability of a person n to cope up with the normal stresses of life, to be active and productive in daily life. It also depends on factors like social, psychological and emotional well-being of a person. It can have a great impact on your daily life, relationships, how you feel and behave.

Importance of Mental Health:

Many people nowadays still don't have an idea that mental health is as important as your physical health. If you are mentally healthy you will noticeably lead a positive and effective life. To maintain your mental health you should consider getting 8 hours of sleep, according to Harvard Medical school sleep and mental health are linked, sleep deprivation can affect your psychological and physical health as well. Eating healthy, exercising daily and being more active is not only beneficial for physical fitness but it is also extremely useful for your mental calmness and stability.

What is Mental Illness?

Mental illness is the condition where you start experiencing sudden changes in your behaviour, thinking and mood, it is also called as mental health disorders or psychiatric disorders. People face mental issues due to many factors that include biological factors, traumas, physical and mental abuse or due to bad sleeping habits. 

There are several symptoms of mental illness, it begins when you start feeling hopeless, numb, sad and weak when you suddenly start yelling and shouting on the people around you and also when you don't have any the idea of how to cope with your anger issues. Having a mental disorder isn't easy because sometimes patients facing psychiatric problems try to harm themselves, about 800,000 people die by suicide every year that means one person attempts suicide every 40 seconds.

A person suffering from mental illness may also have bipolar disorder that causes dramatic changes in a person's mood, the cycle of bipolar disorder lasts for days, weeks, or months. Many people try taking drugs to relax their mind, to feel less depressed. Anxiety is also a major symptom of having mental disorders.

Around 1 in 5 of the world’s children and adolescents have a mental disorder. According to the recent study conducted by Mental health care in Pakistan, they find out that in Pakistan psychological problems are widespread around 15 million people are having mental illness due to poverty, early marriages, lack of education, career seeking problems, political conditions, domestic abuse and many others, but still mental health care is not a priority in Pakistan. 

Awareness: How to cope up with mental illness?

World Mental Health Day is an international day for global mental health education, its core purpose is to spread awareness and advocacy against social stigma. The mental and neurological disorder makes up to 10% of the global burden of diseases and 30% of non-fatal diseases, so it's high time for us to start making mental health our priority and try to break the stigma that people with mental issues are facing. People discriminate that they are dangerous, disabled and criminals. Stigma and discrimination can also worsen their mental condition.

Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, seeking help and going to a psychiatric or psychologist are signs that you are strong and you are making a sensible decision for your physical and mental betterment. Psychiatrists and psychologists are different kinds of doctors but both are there to talk you through and may help you out. Therapy can be beneficial for both the individual with mental illness and other family members. A mental health professional can suggest ways to cope up and better understand your loved one’s illness. Start being more considerate and help our friends, family and people around you who are going through this by listening to them without any judgements, ask them what help they need.

If you think you and someone you know have mental or emotional problems, it is very important to remember that there is hope. There should be a psychologist in every educational institute who can guide and counsel students. In Pakistan, there is a mere need to improvise mental health care centres. Media can also be a great help in minimizing the stigma related to mental illness.

By: Sakina Raza