Mental health still remains a taboo in today's age. The lack of education on this topic has led to many misconceptions which have affected the seriousness and importance of mental health negatively. Mental health requires the same amount of attention as our physical health and it must be tackled with proper care and love.
Mental disorders are often taken to be signs of weakness, laziness or a character flaw. Mislabeling these disorders, for example sadness as depression, nervousness as anxiety, and a knack for cleanliness as OCD reduces the significance and intensity of the disorder. Anxiety, for instance, is so much more than just feeling nervous - it can escalate to constant restlessness, fidgeting, nausea, breathlessness and more, much of which is difficult to control and constrain.
As a result, for the longest time, this has made me feel as though I should be able to just “snap out of it” and not being able to do so means there must be something wrong with me. There have also been misconceptions that it is something I can control as per my convenience. I have often questioned why I feel the way I do and if I might just be overreacting. It can be hard to try and reason with your own self. Some days need a lot more rationalising and convincing than others.
It is therefore increasingly necessary to raise awareness and clear the misconceptions so that people start recognising them as serious and genuine issues while simultaneously identifying whether their feelings and emotions are symptoms of an actual disorder or not. It should not, under any circumstances, be used to express mere annoyance or make jokes.
Depression is not trendy and anxiety is not cool.
Recognise that your actions have consequences and act accordingly.