Today is World Mental Health Day, where countries across the
globe are taking the opportunity to spotlight the struggles, hope, and lives of
those who live with a mental health diagnosis.
Organized by the World Health Organization, this year they are focusing
on the effects that COVID-19 has had on mental health. Sadly, things like depression, anxiety, and
substance abuse have skyrocketed during the pandemic, with good reason. People have been isolated, millions have lost
jobs, millions of people lost a loved one, friend, or colleague during the
pandemic. All those things take a heavy
toll on the lives of people across the globe.
Here in the United States, we have always had trouble with proper access
to mental health treatment. Long waits
for providers, difficulties with finding a provider who accepts certain
insurances, a lack of providers in certain areas, have all contributed to the
problem. When people cannot freely access
treatment in a timely manner, their problems are only made worse. In addition, we have seen a very sad and
unfortunate rise in substance abuse disorders over the last 15-20 years. All of these things are a crisis, and we need
to continue to be vigilant about advocating for those who need treatment. As someone who previously worked in the field
of mental health, this is always a topic which means a lot to me and I will
always use my voice to promote.
There is also a stigma about mental health issues, and while
we are doing much better, there is still a long way to go. Past generations did not believe in
therapists or seeking treatment. Some
believed that mental health problems did not exist. Even today, people are not recognized as
having an illness, they are deemed “emotionally weak” or “too sensitive.” You are told to “get over it” or “pull
yourself up by the bootstraps.” Tune
into any sitcom and you will hear jokes about mothers being blamed for everyone’s
problems. That is the perception of mental
health to many people. Some religions
such as fundamentalist Christianity and Scientology deny the existence of
mental health problems. You are told
that you have a “spiritual problem” and are discouraged from seeking or flat
out denied access to mental health treatment.
There is still a lack of understanding about what mental health disorders
really mean. Some people do not
understand the difference between normal human emotions and an actual diagnosis
in which an individual is struggling so much that it affects their ability to
function properly.
And then there are also the unconscious stigmas. One of those stigmas is language. Increasingly, we are using terms in our daily
language which are insensitive to those who genuinely do suffer from a mental
health disorder. Using these terms do not properly describe a diagnosis and
lead to misunderstanding. This is
nothing new, I have heard this language my entire adult life. People use the words “bipolar” and “schizophrenic”
on a regular basis to describe others’ behavior. To the best of my knowledge, when non-clinicians
are using the world “bipolar” it means that someone is having a mood
swing. The reality is that bipolar
people do have mood swings, but they are longer and more pronounced than
someone without it. There is a build up
to what is called a “manic” state, where an individual can engage in high-risk
behavior, go on binges where they spend exorbitant amounts of money, speak
rapidly, not sleep, and have a sense of invincibility. Individuals do not immediately move out of
this state; someone can be in a manic state for a week or more. If they are not treated with medication, it
can last over several months. When that
individual does come down from the episode, then extreme depression does set
in. People with bipolar disorder cycle
back and forth between these two extremes.
As you can see, it is not just someone with a passing mood swing. As far as the term “schizophrenic,” I have
heard that used when someone is changing their minds about something, acting
similar to someone being described as bipolar in which their moods are
shifting, unpredictability, and any other unexplained behavior. Schizophrenia is, in my opinion, one of the
most severe and tragic of all mental health disorders. Those who live with schizophrenia can
experience hearing voices, seeing things or people who are not there, and have
trouble distinguishing between actual reality versus what is occurring inside
of their minds. Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia can become extremely
paranoid as well. In severe cases, it
can lead people to act out in ways up to and including physically harming
themselves or someone else. As severe as
this illness is, it is not anything to use in casual conversation. More importantly, it is not a good idea to label
people’s behavior with their diagnosis.
Imagine if you had a conversation with someone and they said, “I saw
John today, and he was acting very cancer.”
Or “I ran into Mary at the grocery store, and she was acting diabetic.” Even though there are certain behaviors
associated with a mental health diagnosis, it is important not to personally label
people with those terms. An individual
should be defined by who they are, and not their diagnosis.
Another thing that I see on the rise are people who
instantly “diagnose” others with a mental health diagnosis. I am increasingly hearing people say things
like, “So-and-so is on the spectrum.” Autism
has exploded in its diagnosis throughout the past 20 years or so. As our understanding of autism increases, we
find that it occurs on a scale. Some
individuals may have mild symptoms, others severe. The term “spectrum” has been used to describe
several different distinct types of autism.
It is impossible for anyone to meet another individual and proclaim five
minutes later that the person is “on the spectrum.” When meeting an individual with autism, they
may present themselves as “quiet” or “withdrawn” but those behaviors can be
ascribed to millions of other people as well.
That does not necessarily mean they are diagnosed with autism. Or they may not. Individuals with autism can present
themselves in many ways, including extroversion. Autism is a complex disorder
in which an individual has trouble communicating with others, especially about
their emotions. In severe cases, those
with autism may rarely speak. Thus, it
is very important to understand the full diagnosis of autism without immediately
rushing to judgement about someone’s behavior.
Narcissism is a word that is freely thrown around in today’s
society. In a sense I can understand
that, because there are certain mass behaviors that could be considered “narcissistic.”
Generally speaking, narcissism simply means self-love and adulation. Narcissism also means that someone is so
self-consumed that they fail to see the humanity and needs of others. Sadly, that is a basic human behavior that
has existed as long as mankind has. It
will continue. In today’s society, people’s
love of social media, particularly posting pictures of themselves excessively,
could be considered narcissistic. Even
though we all have a right to express our opinions, there are countless
millions of people who believe that their voice is more important or more
informed than others. They will take to
media such as Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube to let everyone know what they think. Others have full channels devoted to the
exploits of their lives and families. A
lot of us feel like other people’s families are not that interesting but apparently,
they are, as these channels do enjoy a lot of success. You give people a camera and a platform to be
seen on, and they sure use it. I believe
that because of this, people throw the term narcissism around freely. There are thousands of YouTube videos devoted
to the subject, and it is something where people tend to pronounce someone as
narcissistic. Most times, it is seen
with people who are famous. So many
times over I have seen Bachelor contestants, Survivor contestants, other reality
show contestants, etc. being described and diagnosed as narcissistic. Reality television are not proper
demonstrations of a person’s complex behaviors and cannot be taken seriously. And while narcissism can be a behavior which
alienates a lot of people, it often does not rise to a clinical level. There is an actual diagnosis of Narcissistic
Personality Disorder. Here is a description of how it is diagnosed:
Narcissistic-Pathology-Quotes-Handout.pdf
(drcachildress.org)
Because these people have such an inflated sense of self,
they will rarely be found in psychotherapy.
It is very difficult to treat for that reason. There are certain famous individuals who are
speculated to have NPD, including Tom Cruise.
While I do think that there is that possibility, it is only
conjecture. I have two individuals in my
own life who meet 4 of the 9 criterion for NPD.
Trust me, they are very difficult to deal with, one more than the
other. (How these two are in
relationship to one another is something I will not touch with a ten foot
pole.) -foot pole.) But, I am not proclaiming them “narcissists.” Realistically, nobody should be diagnosing anyone,
either. Yes, human behavior can get
messy and unwanted. And no, it does not mean
that someone with an education in psychology or social work has all of the
answers and is on a different plane than others. But we generally need to be very careful
about “diagnosing” others because it is a slippery slope. It promotes misunderstanding of complex
mental health issues. And it is really
not ethical or kind to make snap judgements about people’s behaviors.
In conclusion, how can you best help someone you suspect may
have a mental health disorder? The first
and most important thing you can do is treat them with kindness and
respect. When someone is feeling
depressed or anxious, they need to feel like others are on their side and care
and will respond in kindness and non-judgement.
More importantly, you can encourage them to connect with a therapist or
psychiatrist. If they need you to, go
with them to their first visit or babysit their children so that they can go to
their first visit and have uninterrupted time.
It can be very fearful or intimidating the first time someone seeks
professional help for a suspected mental health disorder. So, if you can support that person, please do
so. Make sure to follow up with that
person and let them know that you are always there to talk to them and will be
an ally in their journey towards recovery.
Person by person is how we will create a world in which those who have a
mental health diagnosis will thrive.
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