No Health Without Mental Health

We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. We can become physically unwell, and similarly we can also become mentally unwell. Poor mental health can affect anyone, at any age, no matter their gender, financial stability or occupation. Mental illness does not discriminate. Thinking about this, I recall a conversation with a service user on the ward, who became extremely upset at the mention of “mental health” – which she instantly associated to being mentally ill. No matter how much reassurance was provided, my best efforts to explain that every human has mental health was not acceptable to her. She refused to speak to me about anything regarding this topic. We all live with some type of inner turmoil. There are things bubbling inside each and every one of us. Some of us can keep it quiet, keep it down. For some, it is not that simple.

Anxiety is a tight fist that is constantly squeezing on your chest. Depression is a black cloud that seems to dim all the light in your life. Schizophrenia is the absolute fear of everything and everyone. Bipolar is a tightrope with two equally terrifying ends. And so, the list goes on.

Now, try to picture a world where the words “mental health” do not cause heads to turn away, eyes to look down, and people to hurriedly walk away. Imagine if mental health was openly talked about at schools, people at young ages starting to learn about different types of emotions and their intensity, and how to navigate them.

Right now, we know about mental health – good and bad, more than we ever did before. We, as a collective society are taking a step forward each and every day, whether it’s with new research or by simply starting a conversation about mental health. We must all accept that there is both light and dark in this world. And we must learn how to navigate both. 

We have all felt our worlds crumble at our feet at some point in our lives. Felt like the ground was just slipping away. We should not be having this conversation when tragedy strikes. When it’s too late.

Effective promotion, prevention and early intervention can reduce the impact of poor mental health significantly. And yet, we still turn our heads away and feel shame or guilt, talking about our own personal experiences or the experiences of others. Despite the tragedies that we see almost every single day, due to poor mental health and intervention that came too late, or in some cases, did not come at all – we still turn our heads away.

I have learnt to be more effective and more forthcoming with my own mental health, speaking openly and writing about it. And still, it baffles me just how difficult it is to just say “hey, I’m not doing okay”. That sentence alone comes with so much baggage that unfortunately not all of us can bear, and so we simply carry it. How easy it would be to just put it down. Just for a minute.

By featured writer, Evelina Bakanaite. See ‘Team’ for more information and contact details.