Reply To: Mental health and well-being

[Briana Prepelita]

For the longest time mental health has been a taboo subject, typically avoided by most people. It is only now that we have started addressing it more and for that reason it is crucial to help inform each other of the importance of taking care of your mental health as well as gain a deeper understanding of the effects bad mental health can have on other people so we may be more considerate, more understanding and more empathetic towards those who are struggling.
However, from my point of view, although understanding one another plays a key role in helping avert a mental health crisis, it is not enough long-term. What we as a society should be focusing on when it comes to mental health is not only gaining more knowledge on the subject, but also learning how to improve our personal mental health as well as how to help the ones who are struggling with their own, all while understanding it is not our responsibility to guarantee somebody’s well-being but also consistently choosing to support one another without neglecting ourselves. Moreover, it goes without saying that this will not be an easy task, anyhow I truly believe it is worth every bit of effort put into it, as learning more about mental health and how to support ourselves and anyone who might be going through a tough time will not only help us improve as a society but also consolidate the relationships we have already built.
This can be done by helping people gain more knowledge on the subject and encouraging them to be more open with one another so that they may get the support they need without ever having to worry about the fact that it is something not often discussed and therefore they should not mention it which would altogether stop them from getting the help that they need, be it professional or from those around them. It is important to note that knowledge should be accessible to any age group so that there may be a wide-spread aversion to the current mental health crisis. Practically speaking, it is important that schools implement additional age-adapted courses that help students gain a better understanding of the term “mental health” as well as how to properly take care of it. While I believe everyone should partake in it as it would help shed light on a subject that has been set aside for so long it might be better to make the courses optional at first so that not only children but parents too get the chance to adapt to this necessary change. What would also help parents get more used to openly discussing mental health would be additional courses, either held in person or as webinars, that would help them get a deeper understanding of the topic as well as the importance of discussing it with those around them. I believe those necessary implementations will also have a positive effect on families, as the members would get more used to sharing the struggles that they go through as well as be able to help one another and maybe even suggest they get professional help timely so that they may take care of their mental health and not neglect it as we have seen it being done before.
The reason it is so important to look out for the mental well-being of ourselves and others is because nowadays more and more people struggle on their own without being able to help themselves or reach out because it is still not something commonly discussed and therefore it is considered odd to mention and people typically are not sure of how to react or help somebody in case they open up to them. Altogether it is crucial that we help spread more information regarding mental health as well as proper ways to improve it as it is clear that with time this will be a more openly discusses topic and people would be able to get the help that they need.