Mental Health.

It's still thought of as such a taboo subject that so many people avoid, but mental health issues are everywhere. UK charity 'Mind' reports that a staggering total of 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience mental health problems each year - that's a quarter of our population. I imagine it's likely that the results are the same in other places. You can read more about their statistics here: www.mind.org.uk/information-su… (and please do, it's eye-opening).

Now, 1 in 4 is a lot of people, and yet, there's still so much stigma attached to mental health that it can become very difficult for people to talk about, and when something is difficult to talk about, it makes it harder to get the help that is needed. Granted, it's harder to diagnose than a broken leg, and sometimes a 'fracture' of the mind can't be fixed, per se, but it can often be made easier to live with.

I have mental health problems. I know of many other people - friends, family, aquantainces - who also have mental health problems, or have done in the past. Most of the people I know, in fact.

So why is it so difficult to talk about?

I think a large proportion is due to misunderstanding; for example, some people don't talk about depression because "everyone gets depressed" - which isn't true. Everyone can feel depressed sometimes, certainly, but that is not the same as having depression. Depression is a life changing mental health issue that people need help with, be it supportive help from friends and family, or medical intervention.

Schizophrenia is hugely misunderstood, and that's largely due to non-factual media portrayal. For example, schizophrenia does not mean having a split personality, where they act one way and then completely differently a moment later as if they're two (or more) people... that's called Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), also known as Multiple Personality Disorder. Taken from the NHS website, "Schizophrenia is one of the most common serious mental health conditions. About 1 in 100 people will experience schizophrenia in their lifetime, with many continuing to lead normal lives." 1 in 100 is quite a lot of people, but the misunderstanding of it gives the impression that its rare and unheard of in civilised society, and that all the schizophrenics are stuffed away in rooms with padded walls.

Anxiety is another that is common, but misunderstood. People with this disorder cannot control their anxiety, and telling them "there's nothing to worry about" doesn't help, and suggesting they are making mountains out of molehills, as the expression goes, is possibly one of the least helpful things that could ever be suggested. The disorder goes far beyond the mind, and gives the sufferer various physical difficuties to try and overcome as well, with some people feeling a crushing chest pain, or a debilitating headache and nausea.

Mental mealth issues are not weaknesses.

Continuing to talk about mental health and how it affects people is the way forward. Togetherness is strength.

For anyone reading this, I ask you these simple questions:

1. What is your experience with mental health issues?
2. Has anything written here been new information to you? If so, what?
3. Do you have any information about mental health conditions that you'd like to share with me?
4. Are you, or have you ever been, afraid to talk about mental health for fear of stigma? (be it your own MH or somebody else's)

Thank you.