Mental Health Month: A Reminder That Mental Health is Health

It’s May! This month, we think of blossoming flowers and chirping birds, and we have hope for more sunshine for the upcoming summer months. May also marks Mental Health Month, which also symbolizes blossoming and hope. It’s a time to acknowledge the importance of mental well-being, to challenge stigma, and to remind ourselves and others that mental health is indeed health.

In our work as psychotherapists, we speak with clients who don’t hesitate to care for their bodies, seeking medical and allied health support to help them see, hear, move, digest and just physically function. However, it is not uncommon for many of our clients to share that they have struggled to prioritize their minds and their emotional well being. Unlike physical health, where one can seek out relief that is tangible such as physical therapy, medication or surgery, seeking out mental health support is a little less concrete. Many share that it is somehow easy to talk themselves out of feeling overwhelmed, irritable or low by “shoulding” themselves (think: I should be able to manage this; I shouldn’t feel badly; I should know what to do). Many talk themselves out of coming to therapy before they actually come to therapy! 

Mental health affects every aspect of our lives, from how we think and feel to how we act and interact with others. It influences our relationships, our work, and our ability to enjoy life to its fullest. In fact, many physical ailments can be related to poor coping, high stress levels and feelings of overwhelm that come from the responsibilities of day to day life. So why are many so hesitant to empower themselves to seek therapy and get onto the road to feeling better, when simply attending therapy could be the key to feeling more like themselves?

The answer is mental health is often shrouded in “S’s”: silence, stigma and shame. Many are hesitant to talk about their struggles, fearing judgment or misunderstanding. This is not without good reason. It is not easy to admit you are struggling in a world where we are faced with images of people who are NOT struggling (think about the images on social media or TV). It is a huge risk to share your pain when it appears that everyone else is feeling good, enjoying life and bravely moving forward each day. Even though we can tell ourselves that this is “curated content” and that people rarely put anything but their best foot forward, we can’t help but feel “less than” sometimes. Therefore, staying silent for fear of the stigma and shame of asking for help is usually the biggest roadblock for most of our clients.

This is why Mental Health Month is so important: 

• It provides a platform to normalize conversations about mental health.
• It opens the conversation so we can break down barriers, and to foster understanding and empathy. 
• It’s a time to remind ourselves that it’s okay not to be okay, and that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. 
• It is a time to remind ourselves that silence only perpetuates the stigma and shame. 
• It can encourage us to take the step toward mental and emotional wellness and hopefully open doors to overall wellness and a new outlook. 

Give yourself the gift of mental health and find a therapist who helps you feel heard and understood and will walk alongside you as you learn to identify your strengths, learn new skills and finally gain the confidence to stop “shoulding” yourself! Mental health is health, plain and simple. By embracing Mental Health Month, we take a crucial step towards creating a world where mental health is treated with the same importance and compassion as physical health.