Mental Health Awareness: Does It Matter?

Norizam Binti Ahmad @ Muhammad, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Accountancy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Perlis.

 

 

The concept of mental health may have been overused as a subject matter, but it cannot be denied that it is an important issue everyone should be aware of. Especially as it is a problem that affects people all over the world regardless of their age. Recently, the European film industry was surprised by the news that Jean-Luc Godard, one of the most renowned directors of his generation with classic films, had attempted suicide at the age of 91 (Ntim, 2022). Although there are many different and complex factors that lead to suicide attempts, they are often associated with severe psychological or physical suffering that a person finds unbearable (Brådvik, 2018). Therefore, it would be good for everyone to be knowledgeable in this area, as this will give them an idea of other people who are struggling with mental health problems and offer them support and lend a sympathetic ear.

When a person is mentally healthy, he or she can realise his or her full potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and contribute to his or her community (World Health Organisation,2022).  Yet, the question remains: "What is the problem?" rather than "What is going well?". Especially the stigma that surrounds this issue: When people talk about mental health, they think of mental illness first, even though it is about so much more (Zoppi, 2022). This brings us to the question of why mental health awareness and education are so important.

It is important to pay attention to one's mental health because, depending on how it is, it can affect one’s performance in any situation. Who is not inspired by the works of the famous author, J.K. Rowling? Three years before the publication of the first Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, in 1994, J.K. Rowling had just gone through a divorce. She was very poor and relied on government assistance to survive and raise her child. She could not even afford the cost of the photocopy of the novel! When she gave the commencement address at Harvard in 2008, she admitted that she was clinically depressed and considered herself a failure before writing the Harry Potter series (Rana, 2017). Fortunately, she had the courage to ask for help to manage her depression and writing became a relief for her, something she was truly passionate about. Her novel was rejected a few times by several publishers. But she did not give up until one day, she finally signed a contract with a small publisher in London, Bloomsbury, and the book became a worldwide success! This is an example of how a positive mindset can lead to positive developments and an example of how individuals can motivate themselves to do at their best and eventually reach their full potential and manage stress appropriately.

According to WebMD Editorial Contributors (2021), when stress becomes overwhelming, it can affect our mental health and if we are unable to manage it in a positive way, it can affect our overall wellbeing. Thus, individuals with an unstable mental state may therefore find it difficult to perform at their best in some aspects of their daily life, at work or at school. 

From this comparison, it is clear how important mental health awareness is. Understanding this issue gives individuals the advantage of being able to recognise problems before they become something that could harm themselves or even others. When we become aware that we are thinking negatively, we can take the initiative to find something nice to distract ourselves, or we can confide in trusted friends or family members. In this way, the burden is lifted from our shoulders and even if the people we have confided in can only give us advice and support, at least we have expressed our feelings instead of suppressing them.

Although it may seem simple, putting it into practice is much more difficult than one might imagine. It is not as easy to reveal one's difficulties to others as it may seem. This is another important aspect of mental health education and awareness. By understanding the nature of this area, we train our sensitivity to the society around us so that we can provide help and comfort to people in need. Since it is more difficult to solve a problem than to bottle it up, it is probably easier to reach out to those who are suffering. They will feel more comfortable knowing that someone cares about them, and they will take that thought to heart. Admittedly, sometimes they become more defensive when someone approaches them, or they avoid any confrontation. Therefore, it is important that they feel comfortable at first. Even if they prefer to withdraw, it is more important to accept their decision and reassure them that they have a shoulder to lean on.

Although the topic of mental health is receiving more and more attention and research, there are still many myths and misconceptions surrounding mental health (Newman, 2020). A common misconception about mental illness is that it makes people dangerous and violent (Alyssa, 2020). Some even label them crazy people, which is a derogatory term. Therefore, it is crucial to raise awareness to remove this stigma. As the saying goes, the more you know, the more power you have. In this way, we can correct the false impression of mental illness and increase the chances of early intervention and improvement of existing treatment.

In view of all this, mental health awareness is only beneficial to the community, so it should not be a burden for everyone to be aware of it. And overall, it should be kept in mind that even the simplest action can unintentionally have a great effect on others. Thanks to technological advancements, there are numerous platforms for raising awareness. So let us use the opportunities we have to spread awareness in a powerful domino effect. Together, let us create a community where mental health is as important as a healthy body!

REFERENCES

Alyssa. (2020, September 7). The biggest misconceptions about mental illness: Banyan. Mental Health Program at Banyan Treatment Centers. Retrieved from https://www.banyanmentalhealth.com/2020/09/07/the-biggest-misconception-about-mental-illness/

 

Brådvik, L. (2018). Suicide risk and mental disorders. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(9), 2028. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15092028

 

Newman, T. (2020, October 5). Medical myths: Mental health misconceptions.

Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/medical-myths-mental-health-misconceptions

 

Ntim, Z. (2022, September 13). Jean-Luc Godard dies: Pioneering French director was 

         91. Retrieved from https://deadline.com/2022/09/jean-luc-godard-dies-pioneering-

         french-director-was-91-1235117175/ 

 

Rana, Z. (2017, April 24). How JK Rowling overcame depression and rejection to sell over 400 million books. Quartz. Retrieved from https://qz.com/961875/how-jk-rowling-overcame-depression-and-rejection-to-end-up-selling-400-million-books/

 

WebMD Editorial Contributors. (2021, October 25). What to know about how to deal with change. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-to-know-about-how-to-deal-with-change

 

World Health Organization. (2022, June 17). Mental health: Strengthening our response.

Retrieved from  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response

 

Zoppi, L. (2020, November 10). Mental health stigma: Definition, examples, effects, and tips. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mental-health-stigma