In January, I will be going back to college to start my journey into counseling psychology, so lately I’ve been reading through a variety of materials specifically related to counseling. One of the topics that stood out to me in particular is the stigma that’s still attached to mental health and counseling.
Personally, I deal with OCD issues but it took me several years to even begin to seek therapy. I was determined to deal with it myself, but it was a long and difficult process. I read for hours, but was only able to apply a small amount of knowledge I learned. I was just too embarrassed to ask for help, let alone admit I needed it. “What would people say/think?” I thought to myself. Ultimately, however, one of biggest sources of acceptance that mental health is nothing to be ashamed of was a comment made by Howie Mandel, who also confronts OCD issues on a regular basis.
“Now, I’m a big proponent of mental health awareness. I don’t think there’s anyone alive who doesn’t have issues, whether its relationship issues, job stress, or something else. We take care of our dental health, but not our mental health. We go to the dentist for x-rays when there’s no issue — when we feel perfect. But we don’t get a mental health check-up, because there’s a stigma involved. It’s easy for someone in a big corporate arena to get up and say, ‘Hey, I have to go to the dentist, but it’s hard to get up and say I’m going to a psychiatrist, or a therapist.’ “And, take health insurance — they pay a bigger percentage for a diagnosed physiological problem than a psychological one — that alone tells you that there is a stigma. Being open about it in articles like this, and my book, may chip away at it, but [the stigma is] certainly very strong, and still there.”
“We take care of our dental health, but not our mental health” just made sense to me. It inspired me and provided me with enough courage to seek out a therapist, and approach my issues under the guidance of a professional who helps keep me grounded and accountable to apply the knowledge rather than just read about it.
Anyway, I just wanted to post some observations and say that I am eternally grateful to be surrounded by supportive and understanding people. Because of that, I never feel like I’m being judged as “that crazy guy in therapy” … even if it’s probably true 🙂
