The Mental Health Stigma That Still Lurks in Medicine
As much as we want to believe it’s gone, it isn’t
It’s May, and mental health awareness month has started. Every year I look forward to the social media programming: the people who share stories of recovery, those receiving support for their current struggles, and the community of providers on social media sharing amazing mental health content. I feel so much solidarity with all of these groups because I’ve been one of them at some point in my life.
As a psychotherapist and someone who identifies as a wounded healer, I feel so honored to witness others’ stories, especially on social media. Even just a few years ago, some people wouldn’t dare share their stories on the internet for anyone to view. And now, people come together from all over the world to share and provide education on mental health issues.
Shared stories make the world a better place. Speaking our experiences and hearing the experiences of others helps us connect with others in a meaningful way. It helps us to know that suffering is part of the human condition; we all suffer. Knowing we have the backing and support of an entire community helps us bear challenges.
It has been a true joy to see the stigma around mental health challenges slowly dismantled. But this past week I…
