Table of Contents
What do you talk about with mental health?
Start with an expression of care, followed by an observation. I care about you and I’ve noticed you haven’t been yourself lately. You seem more frustrated than you’ve been in a while, and I’m wondering how you’re doing.” Normalize mental health by talking about it directly. Talking about mental health can be difficult and uncomfortable, especially with the people you love and care about most. Mental health is a deeply personal and sensitive subject, but the only way to become more knowledgeable and understanding is by talking about it. Why is it so hard to talk about mental health? The prevalence of stigma and discrimination toward people with mental illness makes it difficult to have a transparent conversation about how we feel. When was the last time you felt good about yourself? How often do you feel positive about your life? When was the last time you had a positive outlook on life? Have you ever been diagnosed with a mental disorder before?
Is it OK to talk about mental health?
Mental health is just as essential as physical health. Normalizing the conversation about mental health empowers people to talk and get the help they need. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors. Four Pillars of Mental Health: Physical, Cognitive, Emotional and Social. Depression. Impacting an estimated 300 million people, depression is the most-common mental disorder and generally affects women more often than men. Short Mental Health Quotes “Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you doesn’t mean you can, should, or need to do it alone.” — Lisa Olivera. “There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.” ― John Green. Here are some tips to help start conversations: Ask someone how they are doing or feeling. Encourage them to engage with an open question focused on them and their wellbeing. Use your own personal experiences as a conversation starting point.
How do you start a mental health talk?
Here are some tips to help start conversations: Ask someone how they are doing or feeling. Encourage them to engage with an open question focused on them and their wellbeing. Use your own personal experiences as a conversation starting point.
Why is mental health so hard to talk about?
Why is it so hard to talk about mental health? The prevalence of stigma and discrimination toward people with mental illness makes it difficult to have a transparent conversation about how we feel. Stigma is when someone views you in a negative way because you have a distinguishing characteristic or personal trait that’s thought to be, or actually is, a disadvantage (a negative stereotype). Unfortunately, negative attitudes and beliefs toward people who have a mental health condition are common. Impacting an estimated 300 million people, depression is the most-common mental disorder and generally affects women more often than men. When we are mentally healthy, we enjoy our life and environment, and the people in it. We can be creative, learn, try new things, and take risks. We are better able to cope with difficult times in our personal and professional lives. Mental Health and Social Relationships Poor mental health influences people’s relationships with their children, spouses, relatives, friends, and co-workers. Often, poor mental health leads to problems such as social isolation, which disrupts a person’s communication and interactions with others. Myth: Mental health problems don’t affect me. In 2020, about: One in five American adults experienced a mental health issue. One in 6 young people experienced a major depressive episode. One in 20 Americans lived with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.
What should you not say in mental health?
Avoid using words that label others, like If a person is struggling, they might fear being judged by others. Using these labels can make their target feel even worse. Don’t speculate about whether someone has a mental health disorder and what their diagnosis might be. Talking about mental health helps improve our communities by making it more acceptable for those suffering from mental illnesses to seek help, learn to cope, and get on the road to recovery. In addition, mental health isn’t just about mental illnesses. It’s also about maintaining a positive state of wellbeing. Severe Mental Health Illnesses Include: Schizophrenia. Bipolar disorder (Manic depression) Clinical depression. The top 10 mental health issues and illnesses include anxiety disorders, bipolar affective disorders, depression, dissociative disorders, eating disorders, paranoia, PTSD, psychosis, schizophrenia and OCD. One in four adult Americans will have a diagnosable mental disorder at any given time.