Assuming you are at work and experience stomach pains. One of the most common responses would be compassion. The same cannot be said of mental wellness.
In Kenya, there is a lot of stigma associated with mental health. Despite being impactful as physical ailments mental health struggles often remain in the shadows. So why do we find it easier to vocalize stomach pain than the pain in our minds?
Mental health stigma is a serious and widespread issue in society, contributing to unfavorable attitudes and discrimination toward those who seek help for their mental health. This makes it more difficult for individuals to recover and manage their health properly.
False stereotypes are one of the negative impacts of mental health stigma. Another frequent cultural expression is "you're so bipolar," which refers to an individual with persistent mood swings. It presents an image of mental instability and weakness. In reality, persons living with bipolar disorder often have higher levels of intelligence and creativity, which they can put into practice if they learn how to manage this condition.
Part of the issue with false stereotypes is a lack of education. We need to refocus on raising awareness and teaching people about what causes mental health issues, how they manifest, what they mean, and how we can help assist. As things stand, inaccurate stereotypes simply serve to promote mental health stigma and add to humanity's suffering.
We should be able to express our mental health statuses without being stigmatized or having fear of being rejected . We must all work together to eliminate the stigma generated by false assumptions in order to create a culture that is more accepting of persons living with mental illnesses, allowing them to live better and healthier lives.
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