May is Mental Health Awareness month. Addressing the stigma surrounding mental health care is at the forefront of our minds. It’s important for us to acknowledge the stigma, talk about why it exists, and provide hope and guidance for you to navigate through it. We believe that our communities are responsible for fostering an environment where seeking mental health care is not only accepted but normalized and encouraged. Stigmas create barriers that prevent individuals from the care that can lead to healthy boundaries, positive environments, strong healthy relationships, satisfaction, hope, and belief. In this article, we will delve into why there is a stigma and how we can all continue to break it down.
Understanding the Stigma:
Shame and comparison are two powerful forces that contribute to the stigma surrounding mental health care. One of the most dangerous things we can do is comparison. Social media has put comparison into the spotlight. We look at other people’s lives and experiences through a lens designed for likes and attention. Either influencers are showcasing their perfection or their madness. Those online talking about mental health are often completely unhinged or have poor boundaries. There are not a lot of examples of people asking for help in a healthy way. We aren’t seeing the reality of asking for care. When we compare ourselves to this fake reality we diminish ourselves. We label ourselves as disconnected or broken. This is where shame begins to develop. We are either not good enough to deserve help or not broken enough to ask. It’s exhausting trying to navigate this. We end up feeling frustrated with ourselves and we start saying things like “I just don’t understand why I can’t do it myself”.
Removing the Stigma:
Brené Brown has this amazing quote. She said “We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.” Understanding this and believing this can help you take a step towards finding care. Finding a qualified professional to help you through the shame and the comparison. Destigmatizing access to mental health care is about changing perceptions and changing lives. It’s time to embed our communities and families with the habit of asking for help without fear of judgment or condemnation. Let’s individually commit to shifting our mindset to think positively about needing others. For thousands of years communities have helped us stay a live and thrive. Being connected with and invested in each other can better help us embrace healing and growth.
Empowering Change:
When we let go of comparison and shame surrounding mental health care, we open the door to transformative change. It can open us up to take control of our mental well-being and seek the support we all deserve. We deserve support just because we exist. There is nothing more then our humanity to qualify us to ask for help. At A New View Counseling, we believe you deserve access to compassionate, effective mental health care without the shame. If you’re interested in learning more about how to support your fellow humans be sure to check out our other blogs.