Battling the Stigma of Therapy: How Talking Can Change the World
Millions of Americans face mental illness every day, according to survey research conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Yet the stigma surrounding mental health is felt both by those participating in therapy and those not. Overall, 4 in 10 American adults (42%) have seen a counselor at some point in their lives. 13% say they are currently seeing a counselor or therapist, while more than a quarter (28%) say they’ve seen a counselor or therapist in the past. [1] But how many of these people tell the world they are going to therapy? And why are some keeping it a secret?
During a recent session, a client shared with me that she is telling people she has a doctor’s appointment during our session times. My question to her was, “What do you think would happen if you were open with others about what we talk about in therapy?” We discussed the negative feelings we place on ourselves for having to seek out help for an emotional struggle. We agreed that therapy is a practice that helps her to heal from trauma, facilitate positive mental health, build strong relationships and change destructive patterns of thinking. However, we also acknowledged the stigma that exists in our society around mental health therapy and the tendency we all have to avoid showing weakness or somehow displaying an inability to solve our own issues. In my profession, stigma is more than just an abstract concept: stigma harms the 1 in 5 Americans affected by mental health conditions. It shames them into silence and prevents them from seeking help. [2]
So here is my question to you, the reader: What if we brought therapy out into our daily lives?
I’m not just saying practicing the skills taught or following through with homework. I’m talking about: “My therapist Hollie said…” or, “I learned in therapy that…” or, “I’m currently working on this in therapy.” I’m talking about being open about what you’ve learned, processing it with others, and sharing the ups and downs in productive conversations. Okay, so realistically, I recognize that not everyone has a positive experience with therapy, and a lot of people have chosen not to go back after a bad experience. With that being said however, we are in a new age of mental health treatment. Training is more efficient and practices are bound by evidence-based interventions. Which means, more and more people are having positive experiences in therapy that they can then share with others who are struggling with similar issues.
How would this conversation change the world?
I’m inviting you to see a world where everyone discusses the impact of mental health on their life, and the effort they make to help themselves. Imagine if you were struggling, and a friend you were asking advice from responded by teaching you something that they learned in therapy. How would that change your opinion of their advice - or for that matter, how would that change your opinion of them? Try identifying your own hesitations about therapy for a moment. Have you judged someone in the past for a mental illness? Have you been offended if someone encouraged you to get help?
In my personal and professional experience, I have found that most people won’t judge others for seeking help, but feel great disappointment in seeking it themselves.
In a recent study, almost one in four people (23%) said that they would never see a counselor. When broken down by generational respondents, 30% of Boomers and 34% of Elders surveyed said that they are far less open to the experience. In contrast, just 15% of Millennials and 18% of Gen Xers said that they would never participate in mental health counseling. [1]
By all measures, Millennials and Gen Xers seem to have more interest in counseling than Boomers and Elders. One-fifth of Millennials (21%) and 16% of Gen Xers are currently engaged in therapy. By comparison, only 8% of Boomers and 1% of Elders are presently working with a counselor or therapist. [1]
Our older populations are those that are currently struggling with taking on the care giving role, experiencing a decline in physical and mental health, and becoming more isolated due to age. How would their ideas around therapy change if younger people in their lives spoke positively about therapy and shared their transformational successes?
I know that I might be starting to sound like a broken record, unwound cassette, scratched CD, corrupted MP3 or a Spotify playlist with no Wi-Fi connection at this point. But I publish this blog to help continually remind readers that everyone has the ability to impact someone else’s ideas about mental health. So please, share your beneficial experiences with mental health counseling, spread the word that you can feel better with support and help diminish the stigma surrounding therapy!
References
[1] https://www.barna.com/research/americans-feel-good-counseling/
About The Author
Hollie O’Keefe is the founder and lead counselor at Where You Are Counseling. She specializes in college students, care givers, complex illnesses, and major life changes. In addition, Hollie has over a decade of experience in emotional struggles such as anxiety, depression, trauma, loss of motivation, burn out, and apathy. If you are interested in working with Hollie, please contact us at (609) 801-2939 or request a free consultation.