Discussion on Mental Health
I was able to host a virtual focus group regarding Mental Health, and people in Gen Z of all different races and backgrounds were able to come and participate. Here are the insights I learned from having this discussion.
What does mental health mean to you?
Mental health might be an umbrella term, but it needs more awareness and attention.
Many things can fall under that term. It also can have individual meaning. There may be some “should” or “shouldn’t” around it. A “bad mental health day” could mean different things to different people. Each person has their own definition of good mental health. There should not be comparison.
People need to be careful about stating how they feel vs. diagnoses of anxiety, depression, or other types of mental illnesses.
Sometimes it can be triggering to hear different mental health terms. For example, PTSD is a true diagnosis and disorder and there needs to be more care rather than throwing these terms around.
It can be hurtful if people throw around jokes about mental health and it can be hurtful to people who really struggle. Or another example is “I have OCD. I need to be really neat.” That is not the same as the clinical disorder of OCD and minimizes the true disorder.
There is definitely a stigma around mental illness if people joke about it; it can invalidate people’s experiences who suffer from mental illness. There can be mild to severe forms of experiences. Some kids need to talk to a therapist or professional.
The world and society we live in today is really tough and could be even tougher for someone battling mental illness.
Sometimes people are scared of you if you open up about having a mental illness or difficulty coping. That can make people more hesitant to open up. They may be told that they should move on or don’t make things a big deal.
Sometimes social anxiety can be a problem. Reanalyzing past conversations can be gripping and people might tell you that things are not a big deal.
Being yourself if really tough for our generation. We want to know that if we are ourselves, that we will be accepted and supported.
How does stress affect your life and how does stress change by different activities?
One perspective: In the school year, we are so busy and working toward different goals. So we will be busy with studying or after-school activities. Sometimes, stress can set in when times are slower than busier. Summer can sometimes be more stressful because of this because of the goals that hang over our heads and that we “should” be doing more.
Going into the pandemic was tough and since most activities stopped, there was an increase in stress and less contact with people to talk about the stress and uncertainty. That has been a tough time.
When times are slower, the nagging idea that “I should be doing something” can be stressful. It can be tough to just relax; our society prioritizes being productive and achieving goals and if we are not always doing something that can be stressful. There can be unrealistic expectations.
Have you or anyone ever had a diagnosis of mental illness?
One perspective: There is ADHD in the family and in myself. I sometimes suffer from mild depression. Actually, ADHD is the tougher to experience. For example, taking a test can be tough because of the distraction of noises, the clock ticking, etc. So that is difficult.
Another perspective: I have suffered from anxiety from a young age. It’s also in my family. It seems to be underlying as I have grown up. As I have experienced some difficulties, I have more anxiety after the events than before.
It can be difficult to know how to act around people that struggle with mental illness, because you do not want to treat them differently but you also want to be mindful and sensitive
What is the best way to interact with people with mental illness or having difficulty coping with life circumstances?
One person: I believe that it is better to reach out than not reach out to anyone who we sense is struggling. Sometimes it might be too late for some people. It is always better to check in with people.
Another person: Very important to check in. It feels good when people reach out to us. You don’t need to be best friends with someone to reach out.
Another person: Summer was rough. This past summer people were having socially distant outdoor gatherings. But I had an injury and I was not able to go out or get together. So thought spirals began. And then people would keep asking about my injury but I wanted to hear “How are you? How was your week?” This allowed me to focus on what was going right rather than what was going wrong or what happened.
People want to be treated like people, not just what they are struggling with.
Have you ever felt the stigma of mental illness? How do you see the stigma?
One student: I actually started to get therapy but I kept pushing it off because I was thinking that others have things worse and so I wasn’t that bad. I also didn’t want to accept it. But my family was supportive. I felt then that I didn’t want to share it because I would feel labeled just by the diagnosis.
One student: I have seen stigma when friends don’t want to discuss what they are struggling with because of the negative opinions from peers or other students. Physical illness is so much more accepted than mental illness. There are steps that can be taken to help with mental illness or difficulty coping and that needs to be addressed.
When students have to stay at home to recover from even a physical injury, we can feel useless. I felt like I couldn’t hold in what I was feeling, but the burden was lifted once I opened up to my parents. Just talking about difficulties with anyone who you trust can really help.
Sometimes we might feel expectations by older siblings or parents who are accomplished. That can make us feel like we need to fit a mold and not feel authentic.
Sometimes being “smart” can be confused with not having mental illness or difficulty with coping with situations. That’s a false notion and is a stereotype. There is no certain look or type of person. We need to realize that anyone can be affected. For example, men may struggle and feel like they can’t open up.
Sometimes after we go through something hard or difficult, we can feel more struggles or have negative thinking. We have to be careful about the messages we send. Sometimes parents are well-intentioned and say something to boost you or support you, but it can be taken in a different way, like our feelings are not valid or are silly. Our generation needs to discuss with each other to relate, in addition to adults when needed.
Sometimes people feel uncomfortable if you open up to them and they may distance themselves from you. That makes opening up tough. So people need to be taught how to handle when someone opens up to you – we need ways to learn that. Sometimes if you are the confidant, then you might need to tell an adult in confidence to know what to do with the information in trust to make sure the person can get help and relieve your own burden.
Students in the LGBTQ+ community may struggle even more because of ongoing stigmas. We need to be sensitive about this.
What should people learn about mental illness and how can we make a difference?
There is no concrete definition. Every person is unique. So the ways you can help someone is different for each person.
Most people may struggle with coping but not everyone has mental illness. Self-diagnosis can be harmful. It’s better to go to a professional to find out.
It’s important to have strategies to cope to have better quality of life.
Memoirs can be helpful to learn how people have struggled and overcome challenges and mental disorders.
What can we do in our communities about mental illness?
We as a society need to be more accepting. Reaching out and small gestures of caring can really make a difference. Checking in can go a long way.
Our generation is really into social media. We might see social media might be helpful or harmful. Being on social media with true friends who accept you will make your life better. Being careful about what is posted is important. We need to be aware about not comparing to people on social media and not feel less about yourself. Social media can create a false image or false standards for what a fun successful life should look like. This can be misleading and make us feel like failures. We need to stay in reality and support each other.
Let people know they are not alone. It needs to be our words and our actions.
Be willing to learn from past mistakes and be willing to be educated. Everyone has room to grow. Know the resources that are available in our communities.
Encourage others and yourself. Little victories are really important. If you struggle with even the small things in your day, do something for yourself or reward yourself for the little victories.
