How is mental health perceived by society?

Posted On May 18, 2019May 18, 2019

Mental health is very important, and there are just too many factors at play when someone who is internally suffering does not reach out in time. It is very sad indeed when someone is hurting so badly inside, that they are considering ending their life entirely. It is even more heartbreaking for all the lives that have been lost due to suicide alone. And what makes people who are suffering from mental illness, just want to give up and not live to see another day?

Nowadays we hear more about mental health and psychiatric cases of people who have severe depression or other serious mental illnesses, that seem to plague them out of nowhere and keep them struggling each day. What causes all these mental health breakdowns that we hear of, and how do people become so numb that they would rather end their lives, than live? Yes, mental health can be a very sensitive topic, but the point is, if someone doesn’t break the silence to mental health, then who will?

The truth is that we can’t afford to have any more families suffer due to loss. It is even more tragic to know, that people who have committed suicide, if only they had the courage to reach out and get the help they needed in time, that their suicides could have been prevented. Yes, everyone’s mental health is important, and it’s not something to just keep hushed, or be swept-under-the-rug. People who suffer need to know that it is okay to speak up. In fact, if we can encourage more people to please speak up and not be ashamed, then we can begin to save more lives.

A lot of the reasons why people who suffer don’t like to speak up is because of how mental health is perceived by society. Society seems to basically shun people for being different, even if what someone is going through internally, is not completely their fault alone. Most anyone’s mental health can be destroyed by traumas. But everyone is different and so the saying “Sticks and stones, may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” does not apply to everyone.

Here in Dunedin, New Zealand, we genuinely care, and we created whysuicidebook.com with everyone in mind. Whether you are suffering from mental illness or not, we want to reach out to you. We want to educate you, we want to let you know that you have a safe place to come and speak up and not be judged, we want to help you to break the silence, once and for all. Because we believe It’s time that people stop listening to the negative notions that society has about mental health and that it’s time, people start getting the help they need and deserve.