How To Tackle Being Open About Your Mental Health

Mental health affects every person’s life: whether you deal with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or you know someone who does, mental health issues are sure to be around you. But for many, talking about mental health is off-limits.

If you feel that your mental health is something to be embarrassed about, it might be time to open up. It’s the world that’s created a stigma towards talking about mental health, and unfortunately you’re feeling the pressure to keep your experience inside.

Even though it shouldn’t be there, this stigma is inevitable. It can be hurtful and isolating to those who are taking steps to deal with their mental health.

However, you can take small steps towards being open about your own illness by just talking about it.

Not sure if you’re up for it? Consider these reasons why sharing your story will fight the stigma, and make you feel better.

Chatting About Treatment

When we talk about mental health people often start stigmatizing by accident. This is especially true when people talk about treatment and what it looks like.

The great, albeit difficult thing to explain is that treatment looks different for every individual.

Not every person needs extensive therapy and medication to get over difficult experiences. However, society makes people think there’s something wrong with them just for experiencing depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. This makes it hard for people who need treatment to step into a doctor’s office. They’re more likely to think they can deal with the problem on their own.

Some of the best treatment requires a series of treatment sessions, but if someone is fearful to make appointments, they might never experience relief.

Instead of keeping your feelings inside, consider the following suggestions to jump start being open about your mental health:

1. Think About Sharing Your Personal Story

By being open about your own mental health treatment, it’s likely that sharing your experience can help decrease another person’s embarrassment about getting help. They might need to hear your story to get motivated.

It doesn’t matter where you share your story. It could be face to face with someone, or in an anonymous online forum.

You can even simply share it without self through a diary or vlog. But once you see how much talking about your journey can help some seek out treatment, you’ll realize how important your story really is.

2. Be Open to All Types of Treatment

There are tons of treatment options for mental health, but the belief that treatment is embarrassing and needs to be a secret discourages those in need from getting help. They’ll never realize how impactful treatment is, whether through therapy, medication, or an alternative method.

Before you rule out treatment, show up first. Try therapy for a few weeks and then assess. If you don’t feel like you’re working towards results, talk to your doctor about alternative methods for your illness.

If you’re ever not sure about what someone’s new treatment is, just listen and help someone feel heard and supported on their journey.Giving someone a space to speak about not only their struggles but the treatment they are trying is essential.

Then they can always do the same for you when it’s needed! Even by listening without making them feel judged you are doing a great service to them! It feels nice to have a person you can speak to about your mental health without worrying if they fear you.

3. Make it Easy For Someone to Open Up to You

Do you feel one of your friends needs to talk about their own illness, or that they might be silently suffering? Offer to listen.

You don’t have to say anything about yourself – just be there to hear about what’s going on for them. This will improve the likelihood that they’ll express their own mental health concerns, and get help. You’ll see it’s okay for them to open up, and it might encourage you to pick up the phone and make an appointment with your doctor or therapist.

To Wrap Up

When it comes to talking about mental health, remember every experience is different. No one is ever obligated to educate someone about their own battles with a disorder, but talking about mental health in general makes everyone around feel comfortable expressing their feelings. By having these conversations we can erase the stigma around mental illness and all become better people together!