Mental health problems, although always there, were intertwined with human existence and were a hidden secret covered with shame and guilt for the people who were dealing with them and for those around them. Therefore, it was very difficult to ask for help privately and almost unthinkable to do so in public, as this would require first accepting that one had such a problem and then finding the courage to face the shame and guilt. This entrenched situation of many years has only recently begun to change. Particularly in the midst of the pandemic that developed or exacerbated mental health problems due to incarceration and the loss of the human contact that is life-giving for humans, celebrities worldwide began to speak out. And it gave courage to others to start speaking out. Small, tentative steps that are nevertheless a beginning.
A typical example is the world-famous model Bella Hadid who did not hesitate to upload photos without a trace of make-up but with tears in her eyes and confessed that she fights a daily battle with depression and anxiety. «Depression is my daily life. Every day, every night. Sometimes you need to be told you're not alone,» the famous model wrote on social media, giving the message that even amidst the glamorous runways and fancy clothes, the soul is likely to hurt and feel lonely.
Another example is the singer Demi Lovato who has openly talked about the psychotherapy she is undergoing in order to overcome the problems she is facing. «As you all know therapy has changed my life. I would like to acknowledge how much we are all going through right now. And if you are struggling I want you to know that I see you, I hear you and that you are not going through it alone,» she wrote in a post on social media.
The case of model Chrissy Teigen who lost the baby she was carrying and shared with her followers all the pain she and her husband experienced and the depression she faced afterwards, although she was highly criticized especially in relation to the motives that prompted her to do so.
«When a seemingly successful person publicly states that I too had a hard time and I asked for help and most importantly got well, it makes a huge difference. Because another difficulty is that the mentally ill person is afraid that it will always remain that way. He will never get well. I have people telling me I'd rather have a cancer diagnosis I know exactly what it is, I don't need to apologize, than depression. The stigma of mental illness needs to be broken and certainly not to equate mental illness with crime. Not every time there is a murder it can be equated with a psychiatric disorder. Psychopathology is a very specific science as long as you know it. And perhaps another big mistake in the field of mental health is that we experts ourselves have not given it the respect it needs to protect it. We cannot have people with no clinical experience, no years of study on the subject declaring themselves experts, giving instructions and advice, taking over human souls and lives. The profession itself needs protection,» explains to AP-MPA the clinical psychologist-psychotherapist and doctor of the Athens Medical School, Dr. Anna Kandaraki.
The other very important thing that these posts offer is the visibility that gives the mentally ill the feeling that they are not alone, they are not experiencing something that no one else is experiencing, they are not facing something that no one else has ever faced. This, experts point out, breaks the social taboo around the subject.
«The hardest thing about mental health is that trauma is invisible. You can't see anything with the naked eye or the most modern machine. Trauma to the psyche is only understood by you and most of the time you either have to hide it or feel guilt and doubt from those around you. If it is your idea, if you are exaggerating, if it is your fault and you are not trying hard enough. The “ invisible trauma” has another difficulty. The cause in mental difficulty, like the treatment, is not simple. Often the guilt behind the diagnosis spreads everywhere. Parents who fear being found guilty come in and come barricaded to defend themselves. Coping on the other hand is equally complicated. It can't be done in one meeting, painkiller injections don't work and neither do surgical interventions. It takes time, it takes awareness, it takes taking responsibility and faith in you first and foremost. Whatever you can do,’ says Kandaraki and adds: »I still meet people who come secretly from their partner or parent. Who are ashamed and feel bad about coming but the hopeful thing is that they come, that they dare and ask for help. Things are better, but we still have a long way to go in terms of mental health deinstitutionalisation.«.
Experts point out that removing the social stigma of people seeking help for their mental health difficulties is an important step forward in a civilised and prosperous society and is a matter of education starting at an early age.
«Often people come to me with their anguish for another loved one who doesn't come to me for help. That “since he is not coming I came for him’ but unfortunately or fortunately, help through third parties is not possible. Mental health treatment requires accountability, that you want to be helped, you want to change. And that's a very big decision mainly because we grow up believing that we should struggle and care for others, but not ourselves. That would be important to change in raising our children. Caring means caring for the autonomy of others,” Kandaraki stresses.
A major barrier to seeking help for a mental health problem, apart from social stigma, is also a financial issue. These treatments are usually quite expensive, as there is no equivalent support for mental health as there is for physical health.
«Precisely because the treatment of mental difficulty takes time, that's why it becomes expensive. Yes, there are facilities where mental help is provided free or at a very low cost especially in cases where severity dictates it when the patient becomes dysfunctional and cannot cope with daily life. On the other hand, it is important to remember that we must first put our mental health first. I often meet people who are reluctant to ’invest“ in the care of their soul, considering it a luxury while they may correspondingly spend large sums on their external image. On the contrary, I see people with limited income finding a way, making it a priority and managing to do systematic work on themselves because they have put it first on their important priorities. The ” investment“ of time, energy and money is another indication that I do want to help and that I do seriously value this process. There are of course cases where the person does want to but cannot afford it. In these cases there should be more systematic and organised support from the state mechanism for mental health as well”, concludes Ms Kandaraki.
