Mental Health Content Post
Title Tag: Breaking the Mental Health Stigma | Healing in Spokane, WA
Meta: The harmful stigma around therapy is dangerous…and false. Don’t be held back by someone else’s prejudice. Start living your best life now.
How We’re Breaking the Stigma of Mental Health Therapy in Spokane, WA
To anyone suffering from depression, anxiety, or other mental condition. To anyone who feels there’s something – just out of reach – that’s stealing away your serenity. Know this: you are not alone.
Nearly 60 million American adults live with some form of mental illness. In other words, nearly one out of four adults are facing similar challenges. Yeah, one in four. That’s not nothing. You are not alone.
But it sure feels that way sometimes, doesn’t it? Well, you’re not alone there, either. A lot of people are hurting, just like you. The thing is, so many people with psychological pain won’t seek help. Instead, they keep it locked inside, unable to break free from the false stigma that surrounds mental health therapy. Many of them right here in Spokane, WA.
It shouldn’t be that way. It’s needless, and it’s heartbreaking. And it should not be the thing standing between you and a happier life.
The Roots of Mental Health Stigma Began
Back in the good old days, when the earth was flat and leeches were the cutting edge in medical progress, people with mental health issues didn’t fare so well. Depression, anxiety, bipolar, autism; they were all thought to be either punishment from God or the result of some dark supernatural force at work.
There was no treatment. Instead, people were thrown into prisons or madhouses, chained to their beds and left to suffer. Even as recently as the ‘50s, depression and other mental health issues were sometimes seen as a weakness or moral failing.
Gradually, more resources were devoted to mental health research and things started to change. Medical knowledge of the brain expanded by leaps and bounds, and doctors began to treat mental illness as just that – an illness. A very treatable condition with a very hopeful outlook.
Yet even as knowledge and understanding grew, harmful stereotypes persisted. Some people didn’t know better. Some didn’t care to know better. The stigma, passed down from generation to generation as most prejudices are, is still alive today.
Why Overcoming the Therapy Stigma is so Important?
Those prejudices have the power to kill. Because of archaic attitudes, too many people have fallen prey to deeper depression, isolation, lost productivity, missed opportunities, and suicide.
And it’s completely avoidable!
Because a mental health illness isn’t like the flu. It’s not likely to go away on its own. People who are suffering need more than a bowl of chicken soup. And the help is right there, within reach. That evidence-based therapy works is an overwhelming truth.
Yet three out of five people who know they need help are too ashamed or embarrassed to ask for it (1) . That’s…well, I’m just gonna go ahead and say it…that’s crazy!
It was mentioned earlier that nearly one in four adults deal with mental health issues (2). That’s about the same number of people who have arthritis. But you don’t see anyone sneaking into the rheumatologist’s office, do you? Because there’s nothing to be ashamed of!
Listen, it can be hard enough for folks with depression or anxiety to navigate life. Sometimes it feels impossible to muster the willpower to do the dishes, let alone reach out for help. A needless stigma is just another obstacle to getting better.
There is no truth to the lie that therapy makes you weak, or somehow “less than.” Full stop. The reality is that reaching out for help is a courageous step. The first step towards claiming a better life for yourself and your loved ones.
How to Overcome the Mental Health Stigma
Of course, healing looks different for everyone, but some of the mental health benefits of routine are universal. (3)(4)
- A sense of accomplishment that boosts self-confidence.
- Having structure that makes it much easier to manage stress.
- A measure of yourself so you know you’re on track.
- Better sleep
- A Healthier diet
- Increased exercise
Each on its own is an advantage. But just as actions stack up to create routines, the mental and physical rewards of routine can stack up to create a whole new you.
How to Overcome the Mental Health Stigma
The first and most important thing is to take care of yourself. If you have concerns, here are some ways to view the situation in a new light:
- Embrace the truth: Mental illness is largely out of your control. It’s not your fault. Whether it’s environment, a chemical imbalance, or learned thinking that needs fixing, it’s not on you.
- Know you are strong: Just acknowledging you might need help shows you’re ready to take the reins of your own life story. That’s power, baby! Yeah, the phone can weigh a couple hundred pounds, but you’ve got the strength to lift it.
- Know there is hope: Evidence-based treatment saves lives. That’s a fact. So whatever’s going on in the moment, you CAN get better. And there are different methods of therapy. Working with your therapist, you’ll discover what’s best for you.
- Remember you are not alone: Seriously…look around you. One out of four people are, if not exactly in the same boat, at least buying tickets for a sister ship sailing down the same river. We’re all unique, but not so different where it really matters.
- Share your experience: When you’re ready, it can be helpful to talk about your experience with the right people. An honest conversation with someone who’s going through a similar challenge can make all the difference in the world.
What to do When You’re Ready to Get Well
Whatever challenges you’re struggling with, finding a good therapist may be one of the most important and freeing things you’ll ever do. Yes, it can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.
Just like the licensed therapists here in our Spokane, WA office, most counselors are going to welcome you to a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment. Therapists are there for you, and they want to help. (Because we sure as hell ain’t in it for the money! 😂)
Don’t be afraid to reach out. We’d love to talk and help you decide what’s next. So, if therapy is on your radar, talk to someone. Call us. Call your local crisis line. There is no reason in the world for you to go it alone.