Wave of Change

The teenagers are sat in the coffee shop, each with a mobile device in hand, each simultaneously staring at their device, snapping pictures and somehow keeping a conversation going with the group they’re a part of: multitasking at its finest, or a sad sign of our next generation? It’s hard to tell, until one says to the other, “Guys, I am, like, literally so depressed right now, I cannot even.” The group perks up, their tones both commiserative and shocked, alike. “I know, right?” Says another, her eyes wide. “I’ve been, like super depressed lately because of my Math class.” “Ugh,” pipes in another, “I cannot handle my anxiety about going to that class, like, I’m l iterally shook.”

I sit and watch them, sipping my tepid latte as I attempt to take notes on this conversation, their tones, their mobiles in hand, and more so their blasé approach to using terms such as anxiety and depression, throwing them around as casually as they misuse the term ‘literally’ before moving on to the next subject and moving back to their respective conversations online.

It’s fascinating, isn’t it, the change in the way we view mental health now, as opposed to only a few years back. Whereas words such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and other mental conditions may have previously been whispered in hushed silence, covered up or simply not mentioned due to a societal stigma placed upon them, we now use them in an almost cavalier fashion. It’s possible we do this, not understanding their true meaning, but likewise thanks to a decreased stigma around the conditions themselves; perhaps this is something that should be celebrated instead of criticized.

Thanks to social media, in particular, we’ve been able to open up a dialogue about mental health that is in turn refreshing, nerve-wracking and honest. YouTube video blogs and interviews, podcasts, Facebook updates or groups, Instagram inspirational quotes or tweets linking articles or succinctly summing up a person’s day going viral are all examples of the new wave of sharing our lives, and in doing so, our stories. Gone are the clandestine corners in book shops selling self help books, or the images of visiting a therapist as one lying stiffly on a chaise while a contemplative Freudian looking type sits quietly behind, taking notes and nodding sagely. No, the mental health of today is more freely spoken of, shared, and anxiety, itself, has even become something of a trend, used in countless articles online, updates, memes and the like.

This fresh perspective of sharing our stories is seeing a global shift in the way we look at not only mental health but of how we perceive therapy, anti-depressants and other methods of treatment or support. In fact, in Canada alone, youth seeking support for mental disorders is the second highest hospital care expenditure we see as a nation. (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2019) I sit and wonder how many of these teens sat at the coffee shop have ever actively been treated? At any rate, the very fact that they can talk about it - and perhaps share simultaneously on their social media as they chat, now - is a positive sign.

In this instance, I would implore each of us to take a moment today to reflect on our own wellbeing, and perhaps share our story with another. In saying, “I am not okay”, we may well be paving a better path to wellbeing, and turning the global ripple in embracing and celebrating mental health advocacy into a tidal wave. A much needed change is coming.

Reference:

Canadian Mental Health Association (2019). Fast Facts About Mental Illness. Mental Health Commission of Canada (2013). Making the case for investing in mental health in Canada. Retrieved from

https://cmha.ca/about-cmha/fast-facts-about-mental-illness