FEATURE FRIDAY | RHIAN HY: WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?
Yesterday was World Mental Health Day and because it's such an important yet not very often spoken about topic with a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding it, we reached out to Rhian to share her thoughts, feelings, and things she's learned throughout her mental health journey. We just love her heart and passion for eliminating the stigma around mental health.
Hi, I’m new here, nice to meet you… now let’s talk about mental health.
As someone who’s both struggled with and been treated for mental illnesses most of my life, you can bet I know my fair share of myths and misconceptions when it comes to mental health.
Often when people hear I’ve been dealing with mental illness for so long, they respond with a sad look but I’m THANKFUL I’ve never known any other way. The people I feel for are the ones who’ve never experienced mental illness and have no concept of mental health until one day, in their mid 20’s they’re faced with new struggles and even a diagnosis that can feel scary and heavy.
I’m also thankful because I haven’t really had the chance to be shy or ashamed because of it. My parents treated it like they would if I had any ongoing illness and I quickly learned to communicate with doctors about what I was experiencing and advocate for my own mental health when needed.
While we’re talking gratitude, perhaps the thing I’m most thankful for is being able to connect with and help others because of it. Several years ago I shared my story on the internet, in great detail. This has since spiraled into me creating a LOT of mental health-related content for those who aren’t so comfortable with their mental health or mental illness; not dissimilar to H+P providing “a safe place to grow”.
All this to say when H+P asked if I’d do some guest writing on the topic… of course, I said yes. Because connection is beautiful, knowledge is power and nothing crushes stigma more than talking about it.
Allow me to bring you…. An introduction to mental health, according to Rhian.
Everybody has mental health
According to NAMI’s Mental Health Fact Sheet titled “everyone has mental health”, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines mental health as: A state of well-being in which a person realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
The CDC defines mental health conditions as: Health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination of those) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning.
Mental health and mental illness/conditions are often used interchangeably but they are not the same. You can have one without the other or even both at the same time! You can HAVE bipolar AND have good mental health at the same time.
Mental health is really just health
We often think of wellness in terms of mental health VS physical health. And even though they are so closely linked and can affect one another (even cause one another?), at times it seems like separating the two, if only for communication's sake, can further worsen the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Think of the word “physical”, it suggests actual, or tangible… whereas mental health seems conceptual and misunderstood because of that.
Many mental health conditions have a chemical foundation or basis that causes them, this is why pharmaceuticals help so many people. There’s only so much that relaxation techniques and yoga can help with many mental illnesses; it’s not a weakness to need medical help, it's chemically necessary at times. For now, though, that is the language we have but it’s important to remember that they are of equal importance.
No Two Experiences Are The Same
Anxiety, mania, depression… they feel and behave differently for each individual. This is why listening is key when talking to loved ones about their experiences. It can be easy to hear “anxiety” and immediately relate it to your own experience which can cloud your understanding of the other person. They may feel anxiety completely differently and have different needs related to it.
So while two people may have mania caused by the same chemical shifts, the symptoms we may notice on the exterior can be very different! Similarly, anxiety can appear as nervousness in one person and agitation or anger in another. Unfortunately, when it comes to the ways mental illness can affect people: the limit does not exist.
People who “have it all” are not exempt from mental illness
Ever heard the line, “what do they have to be depressed about?” It seems harmless, right? In these situations, even if the person in question is never going to know they said that others might hear that statement and apply it to themselves. Stigma and shame are sneaky devils that build slowly over time and you might not even realize you’re a victim of stigma until one day you realize you’re suffering along because you “should” be able to deal with it your self or because others have it worse than you.
Mental illness doesn’t discriminate.
Treatment is different for everyone
In sharing my own mental health journey, I often see variations of the following statement “I’m afraid to get help because I don’t want to be medicated”.
Let me break that down into 3 parts:
1. There’s nothing wrong with medication. For many of us, it allows us to lead fulfilled lives in a quality that we couldn’t without.
2. Medication is not the only option or reason to seek help/ a diagnosis. There are SO many routes you can take, some you may not even know about. Plus, sometimes even just giving a name to something you’ve struggled with can be helpful in itself.
3. You can say no. Whether it's not for you, you’re afraid, not ready or just want a second opinion… you can thank your doctor for their time, tell them you’re going to process the information you gained in the appointment and you’ll be in touch. Diagnosis helps.
So whether you get a diagnosis and do nothing with it, or get to know it intimately like me…there are options. Access to mental health care is another thing that varies greatly but that might be a blog post to save for another day.
I hope this round-up was helpful and gave you some things to think about whether you’re applying these things to your own experience, or trying to help a loved one in need.
Together we can crush the stigma surrounding mental illness AND raise awareness about the importance of mental health. This too will look different for everyone so I’m not suggesting you also make a video for the world to see, but maybe share your story with a friend, listen to others and acknowledge their experience, watch your language (the weather is not “acting like soooo bipolar”) and keep an open mind and heart.
That’s all for now!
Rhian HY has created an amazing community and brand and shares all about healthy living, beauty, home design, food, and more! Here is where you can find her online:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wifelife/
Blog: http://www.wifelife.co
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/rhianhy