Insight and Reflection: Unfolding the Adversities
of Mental Health Struggles

Life is not easy for someone who lives on the edge. It takes massive strength for anyone who struggles with adverse mental conditions to continue living life. Words such as resilience mean nothing to the ones stuck in the shackles of anxiety and depression. These words are meant for the privileged, the ones who didn’t have to face intense mental trauma—author Sage. M. Forman has brought these issues under the spotlight through their book Somewhere Between ‘JUST FINE’ and the Emergency Room. Forman’s book is a collection of their deeply felt emotions and feelings while undergoing the impacts of bipolar disorder. Additionally, Forman’s book is their outstanding attempt to open a transparent dialogue to unveil the layers of mental health adversities.

The Underlying Reasons for Mental Health Conditions

While the factors contributing to mental health conditions will forever stay a debate for psychologists, there are four main ones when we open a dialogue about mental health. Currently, there is no test that could determine whether one carries a gene associated with these disorders. However, it is straightforward for a condition such as bipolar disorder that is inherited. The chances of having bipolar disorder are higher when a parent has them. The Black Dog Institute for Mental Health stated that genetic factors account for an estimated eighty percent of the cause of the condition.

An Out-of-Body Experience

People who struggle with the adverse conditions of mental health often say that they don’t resonate with the person living in their body. At last, the intensity of this condition is severe enough to make one say that. However, is there anything that can be done to make these people feel a bit at ease? Well, there is no harm if we try to make the world inclusive of these conditions. Additionally, the first step in the right direction would be to make the social spaces more inclusive and considerate of their struggles. Here are a few do’s and don’ts you can consider if you notice someone around you struggling with a disorder:

Don’t Invalidate Their Struggles

Did you know that simple day-to-day tasks that are basic for ordinary people appear to be a struggle for those who are living with a certain mental health condition? Doing things as basic as waking up, cleaning, taking regular meals, and showing up at work can become overwhelming chores for these individuals.

So, next time when your friend or colleague tells you that they can’t find the courage to carry out routine activities, hear them out patiently. Don’t jump toward making them feel as if their struggles are not that big of a deal. Don’t dictate their struggles to them because they have been living with them forever. Make the space safe for them to be able to express their vulnerabilities.

Lend Them an Empathetic Heart

Empathetic heart and mind are great resources for mental health patients. When feelings become overbearing, venting to someone they think will listen with an open heart helps. You cannot absorb their pain or take it away from them, but you can practically show them that their presence matters. These patients often need a great deal of reassurance, so don’t hesitate to let them know of their worth. Your words can work as a miracle or a dagger for them – choose wisely.

Don’t Label Them with Their Condition

We may not realize the insensitivity of this, but people tend to label someone as ‘bipolar’ because of their condition. You need to know that people who suffer from mental health conditions are more than their labels. Beyond their disease, they are ordinary people who have much depth in their nature. Would you ever refer to a cancer patient as ‘cancer’? That is a rhetorical question because no sane person would dare do such a thing.
Understanding mental health disorders is essential for the masses. If anything, our social responsibility dictates that we take care of the ones who struggle with such health problems. Making our environment safe from ridicule and stigmatized notions around psychological illnesses might not help erase them from the world, but it can help on an individualistic level.