6 minute read
Breaking Down Mental Health Stigmas
Written by: Sophie Gravitt Photo Illustration by: Reagan Lee Designed by: Joseph Smallwood
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Mental health has become a prominent topic in modern society. In fact, the topic is increasingly prevalent on college campuses — and rightly so. According to College Stats, 44% of college students have reported having symptoms of depression, but only 75% seek help for their mental health problems.
Stigma still surrounds the topic of mental illness, overwhelming those who suffer from it with negativity. Mental illness is often overlooked because it is not fully understood.
Must mental illness be viewed as such a gloomy condition? Mental conditions are looked at differently than other health issues because it pertains more to emotional symptoms rather than physical symptoms. Realistically, mental illness is a medical condition just like any other.
Because this condition affects the brain, it also affects emotions and state of mind. The brain is a physical organ, just like the heart or the lungs, meaning that chemical imbalances in the brain need treatment, just as high blood pressure or asthma also need treatment.
Nadia De Lion, associate marriage and family therapist at California Baptist University’s Counseling Center, explained that some people believe mental illness does not exist, leading them to believe there is no need for treatment. This has restricted those who do struggle with mental illness from seeking help.
“If someone recommended that you exercise and take medication for a heart condition that you had, you would never hesitate,” says De Lion. “But when it comes to the mind, people are extremely hesitant to seek such treatment. People forget that chemical imbalances need just as much regulation as a heart condition or cancer. Going to therapy and talking about it is a form of exercise for the mind.”
Many people believe that medication can potentially cause more harm than good, which is sometimes true, but not in all situations. Mental illness affects everyone differently, and so does medication. For some people struggling with mental illness, medication is the most beneficial form of treatment, for others it is therapy and for many it is both.
“People are resistant to taking medication because they do not want to get hooked on it, be labeled as crazy or suffer from side effects, which are all extremely valid fears, but the overall regulation can be more beneficial,” De Lion says.
Society often confuses normal emotions with clinical mental illness. This has made it difficult for people with real mental conditions to figure out why they are feeling the things they feel, and why they cannot control these feelings. Anxiousness is not clinical anxiety, and moments of sadness are not clinical depression.
Mental illness turns temporary emotions into permanent symptoms. These symptoms of powerful emotions will not simply go away and cannot be dealt with alone. It is important for society as a whole to be aware of the difference between mental illness and regular emotions, and to ensure it is taken seriously.
Mary Joens*, senior, says that her experience with clinical anxiety disorder has prohibited her from controlling her thoughts or emotions at times.
“My anxiety was destroying my life and relationships. Nobody understood what I was feeling. What I was experiencing was not just nervousness or nervous butterflies, it was true terror and loss of hope,” Jones says.
Healing from mental illness is a difficult process, and does not happen overnight. However, at the end of the healing process all of the trouble and trials are worth it. It is unnecessary for people to be ashamed of seeking help for any medical condition, including mental illness. People often view asking for help as a sign of weakness, when it is quite the opposite. Wanting to heal from a mental condition is a sign of immense strength.
Sarah Sanders*, sophomore, explains that she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders after going to counseling for the first time.
“I realized that it’s not what you think it is. I believed my anxious thoughts were simply anxious thoughts. When I went to counseling, I realized that I was struggling with actual anxiety,” Sanders says. “The root of my anxiety was my friend group at the time, even though my anxious thoughts had nothing to do with my friends. Once I realized what the root of my anxiety is, I knew how to handle it. Handling this was not easy, but it was necessary.”
Despite her struggles, Sanders is proud of her growth.
“I learned so much about myself through my struggle with anxiety. I grew the most during the hardest times in my life. I would not be where I am today if I didn’t experience this difficult time in my life,” Sanders says.
Because of her experience with anxiety, Sanders is dedicated to helping others who suffer from mental illness. It is her goal to create her own Christian counseling agency in order to bring hope to those who feel hopeless.
Sanders says she is passionate about letting God use her struggles to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
It is easy to recognize the struggle of mental illness, but the victory of overcoming it is often overlooked. It is essential to recognize both the suffering and the overcoming of mental illness. Great things can come out of the worst situations.
Recently, the young adults pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship, Jarrid Wilson, took his own life. This tragedy has taken a toll on the entire community of Riverside.
Wilson was the founder of an organization called Anthem of Hope which is meant to help those who battle depression, anxiety, self-harm, addiction and thoughts of suicide.
Wilson's ministry had a positive influence on many people in his life by providing hope to young adults who felt alone and helpless. He struggled with depression and thoughts of suicide while also pursuing a relationship with God. Regardless of his struggles, he was passionate about his love for Jesus.
The day before he took his own life, Wilson tweeted, “Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure suicidal thoughts. Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure depression. Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure PTSD. Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure anxiety. But that doesn’t mean Jesus doesn’t offer us companionship and comfort. He always does that.
As mental health issues become a more prevalent and pressing issue, many churches are finding ways to each out to those in difficult situations. One such church is Saddleback Church. Saddleback’s ministry, Hope for Mental Health, was established after Pastor Rick Warren’s youngest son, Matthew, took his own life in 2013 after a long struggle with mental illness.
The Hope for Mental Health Ministry’s website says the program acts to “extend the radical friendship of Jesus by providing transforming love, support, and hope through the local church.”
John White*, sophomore, has battled with multiple mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, addiction and suicidal thoughts.
His mental condition was a result of brain cancer, which he was unaware of at first. He called his journey of healing a “crazy series of miracles.” White had Christian friends who urged him to seek help, which lead him to identify the cause of his mental state.
“I think society treats people differently when they find out about someone’s mental illness. I didn’t want people to feel sad for me or treat me different; I needed people who may not have understood what I was going through, but still stayed beside me,” White says.“Mental illness is not something to be ashamed of or kept in the dark. There is hope for any situation, no one is too far gone. Surely nothing can separate us from the love of God.”
