Thread by @garwboy

Many click-friendly posts for #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, saying 'seek help', 'open up' etc.

Well, here's something to be 'aware' of

Recent research by @Rethink_ suggests 3 in 5 people with mental health problems don't seek help... due to stigma

rethink.org/news-and-stori…

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@Rethink_ It's a drum I've banged often, but it's still pertinent

Mental health 'awareness' is an important first step, but it's not an end point. And for too many, being aware of/acknowledging mental health issues is taken to mean the problem's dealt with

theguardian.com/science/brain-…

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@Rethink_ But this is wrong, in so many ways

Being part of an online community where everyone is open and honest about their #MentalHealth is great. Often essential. But that doesn't mean everyone enjoys a similar situation. Indeed, the majority seemingly don't.

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@Rethink_ In many ways, the discussion around #MentalHealth mirrors the one around the climate crisis

"So, we agree that the problem is real and very serious, yes?"

"Yup"

"So, shall we to try to... fix it?"

"Woah! That'll be expensive and disruptive! I'm sure it'll work out OK"

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@Rethink_ Don't get me wrong; getting to a point where the majority seem, at least on the surface, to accept that #mentalhealth problems are real and should be taken seriously, that's good. And shows impressive progress, even within recent memory.

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@Rethink_ For example, it was well within the last two decades that we regularly saw mainstream articles describing those with depression as 'attention seeking', that all they needed was fresh air/exercise etc.

You *still* get this, but it's more of a fringe view than it once was

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@Rethink_ But, back to the original point, it's still bleakly common to see people who clearly think that acknowledging mental health problems is the same as 'fixing' them. And this ignores the true scope of the problem, and the considerable efforts needed to really fix them

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@Rethink_ Seems churlish to object to things that are, presumably, well intended, but "The road to hell" etc.

Basically, this casual "it's all fine" approach to #mentalhealth can, and regularly does, have very negative consequences, even if they're subtle ones.

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@Rethink_ One obvious issue with assuming that everyone's "aware" of mental health problems, and therefore no more needs to be done, is that... nothing gets done? Existing problems carry on existing, and maybe get worse because people assume they're sorted out now.

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@Rethink_ I mean, thinking that we've 'moved beyond' mental health stigma is a problem when... we haven't?

As @Rethink_'s research suggests, *most* people experiencing mental health issues are still deeply affected by stigma. Pretending they aren't won't help

rethink.org/news-and-stori…

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@Rethink_ Another factor I've flagged up repeatedly:

Assuming that 'everyone' is aware of #mentalhealth and it's 'not an issue' often leads to making often leads to things that make life HARDER for dealing with problems with their own.

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@Rethink_ My own personal bugbear here is the 'Toxic Positivity' phenomenon

cosmicshambles.com/words/blogs/de…

The idea that you can 'choose' to be happy, to have good wellbeing? It's a short leap from there to blaming people for their own #mentalhealth problems. Because they chose 'wrongly'

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@Rethink_ Less stark, but more insidious, is stuff like this, flagged up by @Hayleystevens (and @specileptic on Facebook)

Again, it may be 100% well meant. But it still conveys the idea that #mentalhealth issues are

1. Easily addressed
2. All on you to do so

https://twitter.com/Hayleystevens/status/1658366460148719616

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Technically, these things do reduce anxiety, *to an extent*

But packaging them like this, and not differentiating between everyday and *clinical* anxiety? It's like saying "Covered in enraged wasps? Try some camomile tea, and avoid wasps in future"

Yeah, cheers for that

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'Take smarphone breaks' or 'get fresh air' in response to national #MentalHealth problems? It's like the old "Climate crisis? That's on you guys. Use paper straws, and eat more lentils" tactic

i.e. affected individuals with limited power are expected to solely deal with it

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And then there's the whole "We ALL have mental health issues, we ALL need self-care" etc. attitude.

I don't want to say that it's basically a #mentalhealth equivalent of "Well, *I* don't see colour..."

But I am going to say that. Because I think it often is the case.

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Then there's the way that increased #MentalHealth awareness, for all the good it can and does do, has also meant that aspects of it have been co-opted and exploited for more nefarious ends. Again, whether intended or not.

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For instance, people will now regularly say they are 'a little bit OCD' because they're somewhat fastidious.

theguardian.com/science/brain-…

You're not. You don't have 'a bit' of a serious compulsive disorder. You're just fussy.

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Also, the increased awareness of #mentalhealth awareness and assessment means you get a lot more 'armchair' diagnosis now. By people who are utterly unqualified to diagnose, and wouldn't have the necessary info to do so even if they were

theguardian.com/science/brain-…

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Armchair diagnosis is a real worry for me. It means people end up attributing any negative quality about a person to an underlying #MentalHealth issue. And if any and every bad aspect of people is linked to mental health problems, do you THINK that may be a tad stigmatising?

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