ATTITUDES AROUND MENTAL HEALTH

Attitudes around mental health are perceived approaches towards the state of our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental illnesses or mental disorders are conditions that affect an individual's thinking, feeling, mood, and behaviour. They may be occasional or long-lasting (chronic). They can affect your ability to relate to others and function each day. In Kenya, Depression and anxiety disorders are the leading mental illnesses diagnosed, followed by substance use disorders. Among the different types of substances, alcohol contributes to the largest burden of substance use-related illnesses.

In my experience as a therapist, attitudes towards mental health are more rejecting than accepting. This means that social rejection increases with the increasing severity of disturbance in behaviour. Society condemns a person more the more they show that they are not okay. There is reproach, more than approach, towards such people. In fact, most people would not want to be known to associate with them.

Disturbance in behaviour may arise from neglect, abuse, substance use, upbringing, or socialization, just to name a few. Generally, there is acceptable behaviour (normal) and unacceptable behaviour (abnormal). There are labels in society, like being an addict, psychotic, maniac, mentally ill, or drunkard, amongst others, that will be branded to anyone displaying similar mannerisms. One day you are a man or a woman, and the next, you are mentally ill. Society and humans generally are quick to judge and condemn, and in return, the condemned do not fit in society and thus feel unwanted and cast away.

Stigma is when someone negatively views you because you have a distinguishing characteristic or personal trait that's thought to be, or actually is, a disadvantage (a negative stereotype). In the years I have interacted with people socially and professionally, I have learnt that not all people change with the changing times. I believe we go to school to sharpen our minds and learn new skills. Learn how to socialize, understand how the world operates and equip ourselves with the preferred knowledge. Such a person has a particular mindset towards people, society, culture, governance, education and religion. Mental health is yet to be embraced wholly by society, considering it is as important as physical health. Some so many people do not believe in Talk therapy or Counseling. Some common things people say to others who seek professional help, 'Counseling is for the weak, Counseling is for crazy people, Pray about it, Don't you believe in God?, Are you not grateful that you are alive?, You have shelter, clothes on your body, food to eat, consider yourself blessed.'

Culture and cultural beliefs play a huge role in framing people's mindsets around mental health. To date, there are people in certain cultures that have zero regard for mental health. For example, marriage from a cultural point of view defines the roles of a man and a woman and creates the expectation that they are met. Traditionally, the woman would stay home and take care of the household as the man provides. Meaning the woman would endure all hardships and not exist as a person but as a mother or a wife until she grew old. Such a woman would not know the world beyond her doorstep. How many stories do we hear of the beatings, punishments, and insults by these very parents and all they did for their children to grow up? Such actions cause intergenerational trauma. Intergenerational trauma occurs when the effects of trauma are passed down between generations. This can occur if a parent experiences abuse as a child or adverse childhood experiences, and the cycle of trauma and abuse impacts their parenting.

Suppressing emotions and choosing not to talk about what hurts inside is common amongst people who have been dismissed by their most trusted members for talking openly, being repeatedly told that they are childish and emotional for no reason- that is being invalidated, being shouted at, physical beatings, being compared to others, being told to be grateful for what they have amongst other reasons. Consequently, such people fail to prioritize their mental health, they do not show up for other people's needs and often adopt unhealthy coping mechanisms. On the flip side, such people seek professional help, they go for counselling, practice self-care routines, adopt healthy coping mechanisms and overcome the past.

Dear reader, an attitude is a settled way of thinking or feeling about something. If you adopt a healthy attitude, you can balance the stressors and joys of life. It is okay not to be okay. It is okay to cry. It is okay to feel. It is okay to express what you feel. Accept what you cannot change, let go of what does not add value to your life and have the enthusiasm to discover who you are and your abilities. There is no Health without Mental Health.