Speak Up: A Fight against the Silence
Introduction
Not all injuries are physical. Cuts, scrapes, and broken bones—all obvious signs of tangible wounds. But what about the wounds we can’t see? What about the injuries that go deeper than the skin? Over the past years, the cases of mental health conditions have exponentially increased. They can be just as bad, and in some cases more serious, than physical injuries. So why is it that seven in ten 16-24 year olds state that they need to hide their struggles, mask their internal fight because they don’t want to talk about it? Society has failed over and over again across many decades, manufacturing a system in which people, especially teenagers, neglect, abandon, and disregard their mental health. However, there is still time for us to make a change.
What is Mental Health?
According to the World Health Organisation, mental health is "a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well, work well, and contribute to their community." From this definition, you can realise how broad of an umbrella term mental health is, encompassing everything from coping mechanisms to perceptions of life. As a result, mental health can be affected easily and can adopt different meanings throughout an individual’s life as they go through varying circumstances.
A common misconception is that people believe mental health is the same as emotional health. Although these two are often intrinsically linked, mental health refers to how you are coping psychologically, whereas emotional health refers to your ability to express your emotions. A key example of this is the behaviour surrounding these two. If you are struggling with your mental health, you are more likely to behave in a way that is unlike you, different from your usual behaviour. However, even though emotional health difficulties may also make you behave in an unexpected manner, most of the time it is just an enhanced or diminished version of the emotion you are feeling.
Why is Mental Health Important?
One of the main impacts of poor mental health is on your self-image and self-worth. Generally, people with bad mental health tend to have low self-esteem, focusing on their weaknesses and obsessing over insecurities. This unhealthy cycle is only boosted by the media's pressure to conform to standards, leading to comparisons and feelings of inadequacy. Therefore, it is integral to maintain positive mental health in order to have a positive self-concept, which is essential in raising your confidence and having an optimistic approach to life.
Mental health also has a profound impact on relationships. Negative mental health can hinder social development as some people may push others away in fear of being hurt or hurting the people around them. Furthermore, mental health conditions can cause individuals to feel isolated and, as a result, they may socially exclude themselves.
To add to this, those with mental health conditions may experience more psychological problems such as difficulty focusing/concentrating, lacking motivation and drive, prolonged periods of low mood, and more. These consequences also affect physical health, with one key example being that individuals are less likely to ask for help. Additionally, mental health issues can greatly disturb sleeping patterns, leading to fatigue and insomnia in extreme instances.
Mental Health Among Teenagers
Especially after the pandemic, adolescents are more likely to experience mental health disorders. However, there are now more and more young adults staying silent about their mental health concerns, like adding fuel to a fire. There are a plethora of reasons why, with one of them being that teenagers believe that there are other contemporary problems that are more serious. Through this, they downplay their mental health conditions, eventually worsening them in the detrimental thought that their mental health struggles would burden others if they talked about them. Some teenagers also believe that they would be selfish or self-centred if they started talking about their mental health.
Another contributing factor is judgement. During this age range, adolescents tend to value others’ opinions and what society says about them. Unfortunately, this leads these young adults into silence, afraid that they will be judged as weak and vulnerable. The sad truth is that mental health is still viewed as a social taboo. Once you admit to having a mental health condition, people may treat you differently. Whether this is through pitying the individual or viewing them as an outsider and abnormal, society’s perception of the individual will unfortunately change. Many young adults fear this and ultimately avoid disclosing anything about their mental health.
How to Help
I could say that this problem would easily go away with just a few actions; however, the hard truth is that this issue has persisted over many decades despite medical advances in technology and research. Nevertheless, as a community, we can strive to make this easier for individuals suffering from mental health conditions. One of the simplest things we can do is raise awareness. This can be done through fundraising events that support charities like MIND, promoting mental health illnesses in different ways, posting flyers, and more. Even the simplest action—such as genuinely asking how someone is doing—can make all the difference. The list is endless, but the time isn’t if we want to make a difference.
For more information, please visit these mental health charities and further readings:
MIND
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)
YoungMinds
WHO [6]
Conclusion
Overall, mental health is a wide spectrum, differing from individual to individual. Unfortunately, as a byproduct of society’s expectations, a system has been created in which teenagers and young adults feel compelled to remain silent about their struggles. According to a survey, 50% of mental health problems are established by the age of 14. How is it possible that, at such a young age—when they should be free and developing as individuals—young teenagers are forced to experience troubles and misery? It is now that we have to act to change the course of this path. It is now that we have to unite as a community to undo this never-ending, perpetual cycle of misery. It is now that we have to use our voices to spread this message. It is now time for you to act.
Final Note
For anyone who is dealing with mental health conditions, please know that you are not alone. Even if it feels as if you cannot talk to anyone, there are people who will support you, comfort you, and guide you through troubling times. My only hope is that you have the courage to talk to anyone you trust. If needed, I have enlisted some helplines that you may find useful. But if you are finding it too difficult, please seek medical help from a professional.
NHS website (for those in the UK)
Find a helpline: https://findahelpline.com/
International Association for Suicide Prevention: https://www.iasp.info/crisis-centres-helplines/
Charities listed above
If none of these work, please search online