By Ameerah Angelina
“Eating disorder? There’s no such thing, she just wants attention.”
“You always overreact over every little thing, just calm down.”
“Be careful. That guy is always talking to himself, he’s probably a psycho so don’t get too close to him. It’s dangerous.”
“You’re depressed? Your iman must be low. Go pray and read the Quran more.”
“She never leaves her room and doesn’t have any friends, what a weirdo.”
Sound familiar? These are only a few common phrases we tend to hear about people who are struggling with mental illnesses.
According to the World Health Organisation, mental health cases are the second leading cause of death worldwide after heart diseases and over 800,000 people commit suicide every year. For each suicide, more than 20 others have attempted suicide. In the US, 1 in 5 people struggle with mental illnesses.
With how common this issue has become and with all the efforts to raise awareness through various mental health campaigns, why are there still so many stigmas surrounding it?
Cultural Misunderstandings
Here in Malaysia, many of the stigmas we have against mental health issues derive from our cultural experiences, most of which are influenced by religious or spiritual reasoning. Many families, especially those residing in rural areas, still associate mental health issues with demon possession, divine retribution, and soul-sickness among others.
Rather than being seen as a clinically documented condition, mental illness is generally regarded as a spiritual phenomenon. This tends to drive people suffering from mental illness to seek help from spiritual mediums and healers who may potentially make the problem worse, instead of going to a licensed professional.
False Perception
It’s also common for many Malaysians to believe that only those who are weak would succumb to psychiatric disorders. This stigma is so widespread that it prevents those affected by it from receiving the support they desperately need. Mental disorder patients appear to be branded as insane, frail, over-sensitive, over-dramatic, and lacking in faith.
Even though some are strong enough to ignore the naysayers and seek professional help they need, too many others yield to peer pressure and wind up suffering from the symptoms all by themselves.
As a matter of fact, an article published by the International Journal of Academic Studies in Business and Social Sciences has highlighted the problems and challenges of mental health in Malaysia. It is reported that more than 50% of Malaysians believe that the patients are to blame for their mental disorders, and 80% of Malaysians do not even believe in mental health.
Media Portrayal
Mass media plays a significant role in influencing people’s views towards society and our way of life, reflecting societal attitudes towards various subjects. Despite the number of TV shows and movies that have been accurately representing mental health conditions, many still misrepresent the truth regarding mental health.
Negative portrayals of mental health conditions in fictitious stories are harmful as it not only adds to the stigma of mental illnesses but also makes it less likely for those who need it to seek the necessary treatment.
This is due to the fact that characters with mental conditions are often portrayed as deranged and dangerous instead of being shown in a positive or sympathetic light. After all, it is much easier to assume the villain commits offences simply because they are “crazy” and put a full stop instead of going into the complex details about their mental well-being.
In other cases, mental health issues are even glorified which can also negatively affect individuals to think their mental illnesses do not require treatment.
Mental Health and COVID-19
Disasters have been known to cause a rise in mental health deterioration that affects more people and lasts much longer than the physical health effects of a pandemic. The SARS global outbreak in 2003, for example, had seen a 30% increase in suicide among people over the age of 65. Similar effects are expected with the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.
While many of us are often more anxious and scared during COVID-19, the pandemic has either sparked or amplified severe mental health problems in others. The standard operation procedures (SOPs) that include social distancing and quarantine, while necessary to reduce the spread of the virus, can contribute to social anxiety and chronic loneliness among various others. Unemployment as a result of the pandemic can also lead to depression or, in the worst case scenario, suicide.
Many medical researchers have warned that the impact of the pandemic on mental health will last significantly longer than the physical impact of the pandemic and that a minority of people (around 10%-15%) will suffer from long-term effects.
Among the long-term effects include:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that is related to chronic germaphobia
- Social anxiety
- General anxiety or constant fear
- Chronic loneliness or “a lack of meaning in life”
- Depression
- Suicidal thoughts or suicide
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Breaking the Stigma
Mental health stigma has various extensive impacts on an individual who suffers from it. Due to the fact that people with mental illnesses are seen as weak, lazy, incompetent or, even violent, it is not uncommon for the people close to them to stray away or turn away from them by refusing to talk, denying the issue, or even look down on them.
These stigmas also cause discrimination in the workplace as employers and even their peers may see them as incompetent for the job. Due to the shame and embarrassment associated with mental illness, those suffering from it may refuse to seek professional treatment which can be detrimental in the long run.
Thus, it is important for us to break the stigma surrounding mental health.
Educating ourselves and the people around us is the very first step to overcoming these stigmas. Dr. Haycraft, a psychiatrist from St. Helena Medical Specialties stresses that we need to understand that mental illnesses are biological conditions, just like other physical diseases or illnesses. A broader education about mental well-being is essential to overcome the stigma.
Opening up and talking about real-life mental illness experiences, regardless of whether we’ve experienced it ourselves or if someone close to us has, can be extremely helpful to provide insights and bring to light the truth about these issues. It can also help remind those suffering from it that there’s nothing to be ashamed of and that they are not alone.
In addition, it is important for us to be conscious of our language as words, whether positive or negative, can have a significant impact on a person. Calling others with derogatory terms or expressions can cause stress and shut down the logical and reasoning areas of their brain. This also includes remarks that invalidate their feelings such as “you’ll get over it”, “it’s just a phase”, or “there are others who have it worse.”
Labelling others based on their illnesses is also a big no-no. A person suffering from depression or bipolar disorder is not a depressive or bipolar person, he or she is just someone who’s suffering from it. Their illnesses do not define them. Avoiding these labels can help them seek the treatment they need to recover.
We, as a society, need to be more empathetic and kind towards one another. We need to start supporting those suffering from mental illness instead of judging them.
As Michelle Obama once said, “At the root of this dilemma is the way we view mental health. Whether an illness affects your heart, your leg or your brain, it’s still an illness, and there should be no distinction.” ***