Now that you know more about Upmote and what we offer, we can dive straight into the subject of mental health. Mental health awareness has long been a taboo that no one wanted to talk about. The pandemic has changed this somewhat, as many people are suffering from the outside but just as much from the inside.
Here are some reasons why it is so important to continue to raise awareness...
Mental health problems can affect anyone: you, your family, your friends, your colleagues or even me. We all have challenges, but some people have serious health problems. We are not always aware of their condition because there is still a lot of stigma and shame that prevents them from talking about it. This is a pity, because social support is essential for coping.
Others suffer without even being aware that they can improve their condition or act on their feelings. Awareness allows these people to notice what they are experiencing and to take the first step to change things in the long term by seeking information or counselling.
Some people avoid counselling because they do not want to be labelled as "weak", "crazy" or "mentally ill". This is such a destructive cliché.
So they rationalize and reassure themselves that they are fine and do not need anything, which is not the case at all.
These misperceptions of mental health problems are linked to the media or to many films or books, among others.
These very unfavourable stereotypes can lead to discrimination but also to a lack of support from society or from others in general. You are not seen as an individual but as an illness, which is a barrier to managing your problem.
Awareness, in this case, allows you to abolish the judgments related to negative mental states in order to consult without shame. Let us not forget that it makes sense to see a doctor if you hurt your leg in order to take care of your physical health. Why should this process be different with mental health? After all, you do not feel well, so it makes sense to see a therapist to improve your well-being.
And even if your mental health is stable and good, it is also beneficial to be aware of it because it can prevent the negative impacts of unfortunate events in your life. It allows you to keep the good side of things, but also to build and maintain a strong resilience. In addition, being healthy for yourself is also being healthy for others.
YOU can be someone's social support.
So let us build our future together by being aware of ourselves and others!