It’s Time to Destigmatize Mental Health.

The subject of mental health has been one our society has shied away from for far too long. Mental health plays a critical role in the quality of our life. It impacts our view of the world, the quality of our relationships, our motivation levels, and so much more. Despite this, our society has built a culture of fear and reluctance around therapy, minimizing the important role it can play in our well-being. The time has come to destigmatize mental health and unlearn the many misconceptions surrounding it.

The Many Misconceptions About Therapy

Many of us have grown up in a culture that stigmatized therapy and the subject of mental health in general. When our media talked about therapy or mental illness, we often saw exaggerated, negative connotations of the subjects. When we attempted to speak with our peers or authoritative figures about our mental health struggles, we were shut down before we could truly open up. Let’s take some time to combat the misconceptions we heard growing up.

You fear it means something is wrong with you.

Many people believe that to seek therapy, there must be something wrong with you. However, therapy can benefit anyone and everyone. Attending therapy does not mean that you are broken or malfunctioning. It means that you are taking steps to care for your mental health- the same way you care for your physical health.

You have decided you should be able to handle your internal problems on your own.

Seeking therapy does not make you weak. However, many of us have found ourselves stuck in this mindset to the detriment of our quality of life. Yes, you can handle your issues yourself. However, thanks to therapy, you don’t have to handle that burden alone. The truth is, therapy can act as a tool to strengthen your mind’s resilience against things like stress, emotional turmoil, and difficult life events.

You struggle with the thought of being open and vulnerable with a stranger.

One great thing about therapy is that you get to choose how open you are with your therapist. Of course, the more open you are about your struggles, the better your therapist can help you. However, your therapist’s job is to create a relationship that allows you to feel comfortable enough to open up. Therapy is an incredibly personal experience, so it is essential to know that you are allowed to approach it at your own pace.

You worry your struggles are not severe enough to pursue therapy.

Therapy is not intended to be a last resort for your suffering. Your reasons for pursuing therapy are good enough. There are many different benefits one can reap from therapy and many different reasons one decides to seek help in the first place. Therapy can help one with issues like:

• Improving confidence
• Processing significant life changes, grief, or trauma
• Bettering one’s communication skills
• Developing healthy coping mechanisms for stress and emotional turmoil
• Diagnosing and receiving treatment for mental health conditions
• Improving interpersonal relationships
• Having someone to talk to

If you feel fearful, hesitant, or reluctant to pursue therapy, you are not alone. Our world has created a stigma that surrounds the subject of mental health- including mental healthcare, like therapy. The time has come for this to change.

Therapy can play a critical role in living one’s happiest, healthiest life. It can improve one’s emotional, psychological, social, and even physical well-being. The time has come to fight the stigma around therapy and finally begin living our happiest, healthiest lives.