In today’s society, the stigma surrounding mental health continues to be a significant barrier for many individuals seeking help and support. Despite efforts to raise awareness and promote understanding, misconceptions and stereotypes still persist, leading to discrimination and shame for those struggling with mental health issues.

One common misconception is that mental health problems are a sign of weakness or a lack of willpower. This harmful belief can prevent individuals from reaching out for help and can perpetuate feelings of guilt and self-blame. Additionally, the fear of being judged or labelled can lead many to suffer in silence, further exacerbating their struggles.

Personally, I consider mental health to be more fluid than this. We all have mental health whether it be good, bad or indifferent. It’s a sliding scale that can move and change from one day to the next especially when we are struggling or have a lack of self-care.  If you imagine this to be a scale of 0 – 100 (0 being low and 100 being perfect) each of us will generally sit in different numbers. Our ‘normal’ will be different to the next persons normal. Once we can give our ‘normal’ a number then we can start to consider which part of the sliding scale we move along. When we consider this as the entry to therapy then maybe it can take away some of the stigma around ‘how bad you have to be’ to enter therapy. In my opinion therapy is for everyone as its part of being human to feel emotional struggles. Weather that be due to a work situation, family, health or a million other reasons including feeling low but not being able to pin point why. If our numbers move out of our ‘normal’ on the sliding scale then its time to make some changes.   This can be therapy but it can also be other things such as checking our self-care.  This includes having enough sleep, eating well, having daylight and fresh air on our faces, exercise, doing things that make us happy and spending time with people we love. 

Another barrier to clients gaining help thought therapy can be their conditions of worth. For example, when we view ourselves as “the strong one” or “the one who helps others” it can cut us deeply when we feel lost and unable to find our own answers. Therapy can provide a space to allow clients to discuss these feelings and the counsellor would help the client find their own answers.  I also want to mention here that lots of clients come to therapy to stay ok.  They schedule regular monthly catch up session in order to off load, check in and stay on track.   This allows these clients to stay in their ‘normal’ range on the sliding scale as they make time to think about how they are and notice if they have moved on the scale. 

It is crucial to challenge these stigmas and create a culture of openness and acceptance surrounding mental health including within ourselves. By promoting education, empathy, and understanding, we can create a safe space for individuals to seek help without fear of judgment. Together, we can break the silence, shatter the stigma, and provide support for those in need. Let’s start the conversation and work towards a more compassionate and inclusive society for all.

Love Sue x