Mental health, or a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being is a topic that is typically overlooked in society within many, including myself, and our interviewee. In our society, mental health in general is typically put aside, demonstrated via discussion of mental health, a topic that withholds great importance within the daily lives of many, whether they know it or not, and is rather atypical within the daily lives of many. Why would people avoid something so important to them? Discussion of mental health is important, and helps us better understand each other and ourselves in largely beneficial ways, yet we still avoid talking about mental health due to fear of discrimination, fear of treatment, and even more commonly, a general lack of understanding.

When starting a conversation about mental health, it may be difficult to sympathize with others, particularly if you have not experienced similar situations, which may lead to numerous issues for both participants. On the other end, conversing with others about your own mental health can also be challenging, as others may not feel any sympathy for you in return. In general, discussing mental health can be a challenge – whether it is simply just how you’re feeling today, or maybe even a greater mental issue that you’ve been facing, such as anxiety, depression, or even thoughts of suicide. In order to be able to discuss mental health to a greater degree, it is important to converse with someone you trust, or who may have experienced similar challenges, and will be willing to listen and sympathize.

Many feel great difficulty when it comes to experiencing their own mental health, and this is shown within our interview with our interviewee. When asked how mental health is talked about in society, our interviewee explained that it is often exaggerated and misunderstood by many. Consequently, it is not a surprise that misunderstanding may result in greater difficulty when it comes to discussion – as others may not understand each other. Furthermore, it is also observed that the interviewee tends to avoid discussion of mental health when they feel that others may treat them differently upon finding out their thoughts, or underlying issues. This comes with no surprise, as similarly within the interviewers own life, they shy away from sharing thoughts that may depict them as less stable, and reliable, resulting in retribution, which was interestingly also noted by the interviewee.

As with many, mental health issues arise throughout life mostly as we age. As these issues arise, it is important to find ways to cope, and work towards dealing with them. One of the most important ways that the interviewer has found to deal with mental challenges is to allow yourself to be vulnerable and open with a close friend, who also is able to do the same with you. This not only creates a safe space for discussion of mental health, but promotes trust, and a place to express your emotions without fear of our previous issue, retribution. Finding a person that you can trust, such as family or friends is important and empowering, as otherwise, it may feel exceedingly difficult to discuss mental health.

Promoting discussion of mental health in our society is extremely important to not only ourselves, but the people that surround us. Experiences that may have once burdened us, withhold the superpower to lighten the burden of others around us, allowing others to better perceive what we once experienced, while in-turn promoting greater vulnerability, lack of retribution, and most importantly, a more resilient lifestyle, which may empower improved situational awareness, better choices, as well as a better understanding of emotions. Next time you observe a friend or family member experiencing mental health troubles, offer to listen, and do your part in promoting conversation surrounding mental health.