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“Taking mental illness more seriously” is a vague and double edged sword. In the sense that we have been taking mental health more seriously, we have only made
by philwelch 3y ago
“Taking mental illness more seriously” is a vague and double edged sword. In the sense that we have been taking mental health more seriously, we have only made it worse, especially with children and teens. It’s normal to feel down or to be anxious sometimes; a lot of kids will pathologize these feelings rather than treating them as ordinary life obstacles to overcome. I agree with the goal of helping kids be more emotionally resilient but I don’t think the mental health framing is helpful in this regard.
- anon373839 3y agoWell, emotional resilience is mental health. I think the problem with mental health framing is label obsession, rather than thinking of mental health like physical health: something to be maintained through healthy habits. If you want to be physically healthy, you eat nutritious, balanced foods and get regular exercise and sufficient sleep. If you want to be mentally healthy, you practice healthy ways to experience and work through your negative feelings rather than trying to avoid or control them. Etc.
- philwelch 3y agoYou’re completely right, and if “mental health awareness” was what you’re describing, it would be a lot more effective.