As a counsellor I have seen firsthand the many facets to mental health. I often describe it as “walking a path in your mind, trying to negotiate the minefield it has become”.

In order to help negotiate this minefield, I will be drawing on my own experience of a mental illness, and also using my skills as a counsellor in this field.  My weekly blog will contain information on Mental Health, Wellbeing and I will also include a “Poetry Corner” where you can view my own poems and feel free to submit any poems of your choice. At the end of each blog I will offer up my challenge to the world of bloggers, and look forward to your replies. 

To get the ball rolling, today I am going to shine the spotlight on what I see as a very real obstacle to mental health issues being taken seriously – stigma.

This quote which I have written below clearly outlines the helplessness of those people who are not believed or not taken seriously regarding their mental health problems. As stark as it is, I wanted to draw attention to what I perceive is a real stumbling block on a person beginning their road to recovery.

Ask yourself why.

There are factors which cause mental health stigma – let’s explore them.

Within history itself we can find some answers.

The fact that throughout history people with mental illness have been treated differently. I personally believe that this could be because of the belief that “If you cannot see it, it does not exist." Therefore, ignorance has resulted in the exclusion and even brutalisation of mentally ill people, through the ages. Add to this ignorance the element of fear in the belief that all mentally ill people are dangerous and stigma is born.

Deeply entrenched views.

Today we live in a much more enlightened world – or do we? It is very frustrating to note that within the health service today these negative views regarding patients presenting with mental illness still exist. “How can you help me if you do not believe me echoes time and time again.

Media presentation. 

We are all influenced by what we see and hear on the media platform today. Even though there are various Ads and program drawing attention to the plight of the mentally ill – is it enough? Providing information, regardless of the platform used is always beneficial, however, positive interaction between those who have, and those who have not a mental illness needs to become the norm in society. The best advertisement to end the stigma attached to Mental Health is to end it. Let us all be proactive in getting the word out their. Yes stigma does exist , however, it can and will become a thing of the past.