Talk Mental Health to Me

You know the 80's song, Talk Dirty to Me by Poison? As I am sitting here writing this blog post, the beginning guitar part is playing in my head with new lyrics that say Talk Mental Health to Me instead of the original line. Makes me chuckle at the thought of that. Could you imagine if those were the lyrics? On one hand I find it comical, on the other I can see the eye rolls from listeners. My point is to shed light on the fact that mental health is still an uncomfortable topic. I will say, in the last 5 years society has brought awareness to the need for increased recognition of mental health, but that still doesn't mean people freely talk about the topic comfortably.

So why is mental health so uncomfortable to talk about? I think there are a number of reasons, but the first on my list is... 1. Lack of knowledge. I want you to try something with me, you ready. Sit down and think about a topic that you are not as knowledgeable in. For me, it would be football. I have no idea what I am talking about when it comes to football stats, plays, rankings, etc... Don't get me wrong. I enjoy going to a PSU game from time to time, but to actually sit down with someone who knows the ins and outs of the game and have a detailed conversation, I'M OUT! *(side note, if you like Ohio State, we cannot work together, JUST kidding!)* When we lack knowledge, we are more likely to pass on the topic. Why? Well, to put it in bluntly, we don't want to look stupid. Which then flows into not wanting to be judged, criticized, or shamed our number 2 reason for not discussing mental health. As humans, we are made for connectedness. We want to create relations with each other, and that is hard to do when we feel judged, criticized or shamed. Now, I'm not saying that everyone would judge someone for not knowing a topic, but there are people who do, and how are we supposed to know who will and who will not? Especially if it's a stranger. I'd love to see strangers conversing about mental health, but that's in a perfect world. When we feel judged, this is the opposite of feeling connected which in turn can cause many to shy away and turn from furth discussion on the topic. Reason 3 as to why I feel we avoid the mental health topic is fear of fewer opportunities for work, school or social activities. Readers, how many of you would bring up mental health in an interview at your dream job? Maybe this dream job is related to the mental health field, in that case perfect. But, if your dream job is not, would you really feel comfortable discussing this topic? Would you fear that if you were open about your own struggles with depression or anxiety that you would get hired? Employers can't outright say "we can't hire you because you have depression" but, depending on the place of employment they may choose to not hire you because of mental health reasons and just not share this. NOT OKAY. If you're a high school student athlete, would you feel comfortable sharing your challenges with anxiety to your coach or teammates? Would there be fear that you wouldn't be used as a starter in the big game? I sure hope not and would like to believe this would not happen. Although I don't know the individuals who coach you or your teammates. Lastly 4. The belief that those who struggle with mental health concerns will never succeed or cannot improve their situation. I can't tell you how many times I have worked with individuals who say, "this is who I am, and nothing will get better for me." I understand in that moment, this is how you feel, but the above statement is so untrue. When people feel this level of hopelessness about themselves, why would they want to discuss this with others? When we feel hopeless it is hard to see that not everyone may view our situation the way we do. So, by not discussing these vulnerable topics, we are limiting our potential positive connection with one another.

Personally, I am okay with being uncomfortable. Especially when the topic is mental health. If we can create an environment that sheds light onto mental health topics, we can create a space for people to not feel alone, to encourage and support one another, lower the risk of suicide, and maintain overall wellness. So, let's normalize these discussions!! If not in the community tomorrow, at least utilize this blog to foster conversations with trusted supports as a start. DISCUSSING MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS. PERIOD. (Cue mic drop).