It seems like there has been a real shift in how we talk about mental health over the last few years. These days, we all have a much greater understanding of the kinds of issues that people may be dealing with. We have a vocabulary for so many different kinds of mental health problems, and we are much more comfortable adjusting our behavior and routines to accommodate them. Now, when people talk about needing a mental health day at work, we no longer assume that someone is having some kind of episode, but we understand that they need a break.
It was only a couple of years ago that, for many people, going to therapy was something that people on television did. While there is still a long way to go in reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, particularly when it comes to men, we have made some great strides forward in more areas than you may realize. However, even though we do seem to have turned a corner on some of the issues that we have been dealing with in the last two years, we know that there are going to be more tough times ahead. Prices are going up, people will be worrying about their jobs, and the news from around the world is still pretty bleak. With that in mind, it is important to take note of the ways in which our understanding of mental health has changed for the better and how the signs for the road ahead in this area are looking positive.
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Employers Are Being More Responsible
Now, it is important to note that this is not the case for every single company, but over the last couple of years there has been a trend towards businesses making more of an effort to provide proper support for their employees when it comes to mental health. One of the reasons for this may be because of the Great Resignation, one of the major stories to come out of the end of 2021 as employees around the world began to reconsider their work situations after a very stressful time. Now, it is much more common to see mental health benefits being offered as part of the employee perks package. It is also important to note that flexible working hours and the opportunity to continue working from home has been a big part of this general shift.
The Technology Is Changing
A lot of people out there still have a rather outdated idea of what therapy is and how it works. They picture the somber therapist’s office, where the psychiatrist takes notes while sitting in an armchair while the patient lies on the couch. There is, of course, absolutely nothing wrong with this set-up and it continues to be available for those who would like it. However, recently we are starting to see psychiatry take some steps into the new normal with technology-enabled care. It goes beyond simply allowing patients to have video calls with their therapists, it allows for a greater understanding of how to build a treatment structure.
People Are More Aware Of How Mental Health Issues Work
While technological advances are extremely important, one of the biggest changes that we are seeing in our understanding of mental health is simply that more and more people have precisely that. More and more, people are able to put a name to what they are feeling and look at their options for how to address it (or even the address for a magic mushrooms dispensary!)
For example, one of the biggest issues that we have seen over the last couple of years regarding mental health is anxiety. It is hardly surprising, given that we spent long periods cooped up by ourselves worrying about what was waiting for us in the outside world. Plenty of people found themselves struggling with this issue for the first time, and it goes without saying that anyone who had previously struggled with anxiety had an incredibly difficult time. However, as the news reports came out about these issues, people were given the vocabulary to understand what they were feeling, and to understand that there was help out there. For example, Talkiatry’s grounding techniques for anxiety provide a simple structure to help people with anxiety cope with the problem. Talkiatry offers tailored psychiatric treatment and support that uses the latest technology to ensure that you are always receiving the right level of care.
We Know That We Are In It For The Long Haul
For a long time, the accepted idea was that mental health issues were something that needed to be fixed as soon as possible. They were something that should be dealt with as neatly as setting a broken bone or disinfecting a wound. What more and more people are beginning to understand is that dealing with many of the most common mental health issues is a process, not something that can be rushed. Now, this is hardly a new revelation for people in the psychiatry industry, or indeed anyone who has been in treatment for mental health issues since before 2020. But it is something that we are seeing a greater recognition of, and a greater patience for those who are suffering. There is also a greater understanding that it is a process that has many different elements in play. It is not as simple as prescribing medication. Medication should go hand in hand with therapy and with changes in circumstance and behavior, depending on the patient and the specific issue.
We Know That It Affects Everyone, But Some More Than Others
It was certainly the case that we saw more and more people being open and honest about their mental health in the last couple of years, from politicians to athletes to movie stars. We have also seen the impact that it is having on the next generation, particularly teenagers and children. However, it is still abundantly clear that mental health is an issue that is impacted by circumstances, and that there is still an inequality there. There are still big steps to be taken when it comes to making mental healthcare more accessible for everyone.
