Raising Mental Health Awareness
6 ways to start the conversation
Dear advocates,
I feel like the topic of our mental health has become a little less taboo nowadays, especially compared to a decade ago. Online therapy communities are thriving and going to therapy has become a bit more normalized. This is making me happy, as it is my main purpose in life to make our mental state more visible and something we should be able to talk about. Unfortunately, in many cultures and settings mental health is still seen as a topic not up for discussion.
This is the reason why I created my Instagram account @thepresentpsychologist to raise mental health awareness. I design infographics with various relevant psychology and therapy themes to help educate. It is work that I am proud of, and would not have been able to continue without your support so far. Advocating for mental health is so important, as in my opinion it makes the world a better place. I hope that you will help me with this. Here are some reasons why:
1) It can reduce stigma.
Certain mental health disorders or psychological issues are still taboo or not easily talked about. If you approach these topics more gently, it can help to soothe people that are struggling. This could apply to their own life or someone in their environment. To use an example, burnout is a rampant issue in our current society, but still frowned upon by many. Some people do not acknowledge the existence of it, or downplay the effects. To create awareness, I designed an infographic showing the twelve stages from a stable, sustainable work life to a full burnout. It is now also available as a high-quality printed poster which would work well in an office, hospital, private practice or any other place where it is vital to remind employees and people in general that they should take affirmative action before they burnout.
2) It encourages people to take action.
Many people struggle in their life with psychological, emotional and physical issues. We need to ensure that we realize what is causing us pain and what we can do to help us grow and get better. One of the things that can be of great value is finding what works for YOU specifically. For example, many people are having difficulties figuring out what they want in life. Societal expectations, lack of confidence in their own abilities keeps them stuck where they are. When I try to help people who are finding themselves in the middle of an identity crisis, I often refer them to ‘Ikigai’. This is a very useful concept from Japanese culture meaning something alike to finding a ‘reason for being’. It tries to ask you four questions, which can help you find purpose. What do you love (passion)? What are you good at (profession)? What does the world need (mission)? What can you be paid for (vocation)? Getting answers will help give you meaning. I created a design below in poster format with a clear overview of all these elements.
3) It can open a dialogue.
What you see is what you get right? Well… not when it comes to mental health. There is more than meets the eye. In many cases, people try to hide their internal suffering from others. Because they are ashamed, because they do not want to handle other people’s emotions or opinions, because they do not want to burden others or simply because it is easier to pretend. Whatever the reason, don’t ever take someone at face value. Many have stories and can be silently struggling. In psychology, we have a concept called ‘dialectics’. Meaning, multiple things could be true at once. You could be giving others a big smile, but still quietly have issues. You can be extroverted, talking and socializing with people, but still feel alone. I strongly believe in starting the conversation, to ask the deep questions. We can heal if we work on it together. Below is a design I created to highlight these human complexities we all deal with.
4) It helps people to understand themselves better.
We think as human beings with a brain that we are perfectly capable of making rational decisions whenever we want. We put our logical thinking on the opposite side of our emotions, seeing them as contradictions. Yes, we are quite a special species with our abilities to have abstract thoughts. We are quite intelligent. But don’t forget, we are also messy. We make mistakes. We are imperfect. Our brain keeps playing tricks on us. It makes us cut corners in our thought processes to make decisions faster, but that does not mean these choices are based on full facts and reality. Enter: common cognitive distortions. These are brain process shortcuts that impact your thoughts. For example, catastrophizing is the distortion where you assume the worst case scenario is going to happen to you. In below design I have an overview of the most common ones.
5) It supports our recovery.
Just like any other being, we have energy that we use up and need to recharge when the time is right. Pretty simple right? Well, I have the feeling that many people sometimes forget that some of our needs are quite basic and very important to focus on. Take one of the most essential things: getting enough rest. I hear you think: ‘Duh, we all need sleep’. True. It’s quite obvious. But first of all, many of us don’t even get the necessary 7-8 hours of sleep. And secondly, how many people actually realize that getting rest is much more multi-faceted than just sleep? For example, there are about seven different types of rest. Did you know that sensory rest like avoiding stimuli and digital detoxing can do wonders? Below is a design I created with seven types of rest.
6) It promotes our overall well-being.
Our mental health is heavily influenced by all sorts of factors. People used to think you needed a therapist to improve your emotional foundation, but that is not the case. There are several ways to nudge your brain and make you feel better. For example, did you know that our body and brain are much more intertwined than you think? Take exercising as an example. Nowadays gym classes, weightlifting, yoga, hiking, and all sorts of physical activities have become more and more popular. And why is that? Because it improves the fitness of your body. But not just that. It actually also improves your mental health. You feel better in your skin, endorphins are released, it can be a social activity making you connect with others. This is why I created a design about the benefits of exercising. A great way to remind yourself to take care of your body AND brain!
