World Mental Health Day: Why we should take our mental health seriously

The stigma of mental illness in society is decreasing. Nevertheless, far too many people are still content with their mental suffering instead of taking action. An appeal for a rethink.

“How are you?” Most of the time, when there is no obvious – physical – suffering, we answer this question with a simple “fine”. A bold statement, but often it is a blatant lie. We are confronted with a number of crises these days that are so omnipresent that they do not even need to be repeated in this text. The result: the present is beginning to take a toll on our well-being.

One more reason to finally focus on our mental health. And no, that doesn’t mean what has been happening for months: more public attention to depression and other mental illnesses. That is of course right and important – and should definitely remain a part of our social interactions. But another level of attention is much more important: the individual level.

Depression only affects others

We now regularly read in the media about people who have mental illnesses. And yet we tend to take our own mental health for granted – and prefer to suppress an impending imbalance rather than dealing with our psyche. The stigma in our society is therefore decreasing, while the stigma is still firmly anchored in our own minds.

Depression? That only happens to other people. Anxiety disorder? Everyone has a little anxiety. Eating disorder? Nonsense, I have everything under control! We humans are true masters at putting our mental health on the back burner until our souls are literally crying out for help. It’s not for nothing that the waiting lists for psychotherapists in Germany are currently mercilessly overcrowded.

We are what we think

Experts also assume that there is a high number of unreported cases. In other words, there are people who struggle with themselves every day but still don’t think about seeking professional help. Although the key to a better life is often just a phone call away – and, admittedly, some waiting time – many people prefer to simply endure their suffering.

Sure, everyone has bad days. But we shouldn’t settle for just getting through one day to the next. No one has to live a life of exhaustion, depression and hopelessness. Because life has so much more to offer if we are only willing to tackle the problems. And yes, especially when they are problems related to our psyche.

You may have heard the saying: “We are what we think.” It’s true. The way we look at the world is crucial to how we perceive and experience our entire lives. But when depression or anxiety disorders cast a dark shadow over this perception, this wonderfully colorful, varied and lovable world in which we live quickly becomes a horror trip.

When the negative takes over

A scenario that far too many people are currently experiencing. This is mainly because we find it so difficult to act in time when a shadow falls over the sunny side of life. Because we have all learned that life is not a bed of roses. But it is also not a battlefield where there are only losers. Life is colorful. Unfortunately, due to evolution, we tend to see the negative and overlook the positive.

But if the negative takes over so much that you hardly notice anything positive in your life, you quickly feel lost in today’s society. After all, we are told everywhere that only a functioning and hard-working member is a valuable person. While physical ailments are still tolerated here as an “excuse” for failure, the situation is still different with psychological problems.

This is mainly due to the image of psychiatry that was instilled in us as children. Who doesn’t know the cliché of the madman in a padded cell who has lost control of his life? Although it is so unrealistic, it has stuck in many people’s minds. This leads to a fundamental problem: people with a mental illness today can use many role models on social media and in the media, but often still cannot accept that they themselves are affected.

The problem with self-stigma

Self-stigmatization is often too heavy. It is no longer just about accepting the existence of mental illness in our society, but also about recognizing the fact that you are now part of the group of those affected. That you are suddenly part of a minority that walks through the world with an illness that is often invisible to other people. A world that is otherwise primarily concerned with the visible. This requires courage above all.

Yes, we live in a tough society that actually longs for more gentleness and understanding. But as long as we don’t start applying these very attributes in our dealings with other people, nothing will probably change. So: be attentive. Be understanding – with yourself and others. Show compassion and take warning signals seriously. Only in this way can the collective mental stress eventually give way to a healthy and contented coexistence.

It’s true: we all have worries. We all have problems and fears that sometimes make life difficult for us. We struggle with decisions we have made or not made. We fight with people who have crossed our path and left scars behind. Or hesitate about the life we ​​have chosen. Sometimes, however, these normal feelings take on dimensions that go far beyond the norm. And yes, it can really happen to anyone. No one is exempt from the blows of fate, no one is safe from mental or physical illness.

Grow beyond yourself!

This makes it all the more important that we treat ourselves and each other with care. People with mental illnesses are not weak or less valuable, they simply have an illness. As soon as we really understand and internalize that mental problems do not change a person’s worth, we create space for a new way of dealing with our own worries.

If we manage to untie the knot in our heads when it comes to mental health, if we understand that there is nothing wrong with not being at peace with ourselves and feeling needy and weak, then we get the chance to really grow from personal crises. And who knows, maybe one day we will even literally grow beyond ourselves – as individuals and as a society.