Unpacking Cultural Stigmas Around Mindfulness & Mental Health
Have you ever heard someone say “just get over it” in response to someone expressing sadness or depression? Or maybe you told a family member that you were attending therapy and they scoffed at you. Unfortunately, for many of us, there are friends and family who will minimize what we are going through. Often, this is unintentional and due to a lack of understanding mental health, but that doesn’t make it okay.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) says that “depression is not something a person can will away.” It is not a passing feeling or emotion. Similarly, conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are not merely a fixation on cleanliness or repetitive behaviors. Depression, OCD, anxiety disorders – these are all very real mental health conditions that deserve appropriate space and understanding.
Myths, Misconceptions, and Mental Health
There are several myths and misconceptions about mental health. There are also many cultural stigmas. A lot of us who suffer from mental illnesses like anxiety or depression are afraid of how our friends and family will view us if we openly discuss our struggles. Many of us fear that we will be perceived as ‘weak’ or ‘overly-sensitive’ and just not able to cope with life.
In reality, mental health disorders impact us in ways that no one else can ever really understand. That’s why it is so important that we unpack cultural stigmas around mindfulness and mental health so that those around us can understand what is happening and why we need support. Here are some common myths and misconceptions that should be addressed:
Mental health disorders are rare. This is incredibly untrue. In reality, around one in five Americans experience some type of mental illness during their life.
People with mental illness are weak. Mental illness is not caused by the weakness or fault of the person suffering. Sometimes there are biological or environmental factors that cause mental illness. Other times mental illness is the result of a physical health condition or a traumatic life event.
Therapy is pointless because there is no cure for mental illness. There is no rule that therapy will or will not help someone with mental illness. Often, the effectiveness of therapy depends on the individual and their condition. Therapy is often part of a multidisciplinary approach to health and wellness and can be effective.
These are just three out of countless myths and misconceptions that challenge the quality of life for people with mental illness.
Myths and Misconceptions about Mindfulness
Mindfulness is one of the best ways to manage the symptoms associated with mental illnesses like anxiety and depression. Practicing mindfulness can be done anywhere; at home, work, school, etc.
While many of us find relief and peace through mindfulness, there are also myths and misconceptions about the practice that hold many people back from using it as a way to cope with mental illness. Some of the most common are:
That mindfulness is a religious practice. Mindfulness has been woven into religious practices for generations, but it – in itself – is not a religious practice. The goal of mindfulness is to help us step back, be present, and live fully with intention.
Mindfulness and meditation are the same things. While you can certainly incorporate meditation into your mindfulness practice, these are two separate concepts. Meditation is a technique that allows us to channel and control our attention and focus. Mindfulness, on the other hand, is about understanding our thoughts and responses to them. It is about finding ways to manage and control our thoughts and emotions so that they don’t control us.
People who are ‘mindful’ are always happy and positive. People who practice mindfulness may have a greater sense of peace and overall wellbeing, but that doesn’t mean that they are always happy or feel positive about life. Practicing mindfulness can help us be more aware of our emotions and how we respond to others, which can help us to be more positive and engaging.
There isn’t enough time in the day for mindfulness. Mindfulness doesn’t require a lot of time. It is a practice that evolves over time and becomes something we can incorporate into our daily lives with ease. Activities like journaling, reading, or sitting outside are great opportunities to incorporate mindfulness. As a result, the pathways in our brains begin to rewire and bring about a greater sense of wellbeing.
Mindfulness is a fad. There are always going to be trends and fads that come and go. Social media, in particular, has changed the way that we view practices like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. These once-sacred practices are now mainstream, with social media influencers highlighting all the ‘must-haves’ and ‘latest-and-greatest’ in the health and wellness industries. These are fads. The products, supplements, clothing brands, water bottles, and other merchandise are the fads. Mindfulness itself is not. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to be mindful, and the clothes you wear or the brand of water you drink does not determine whether your mindfulness is successful.
Cultural Stigmas around Mindfulness and Mental Health
Cultural stigmas around mindfulness and mental health are toxic. These attitudes and behaviors create a gap between people who are suffering and the help that is available to them. Furthermore, it widens the gap between sufferers and those around them that don’t understand their conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the consequences of mental health stigmas are far-reaching:
Cultural stigmas around mental health cause the public to fear, avoid, reject, and discriminate against people who struggle with mental illness. This results in unequal access to resources that everyone needs to function in life and society.
Stigmas result in people who need mental health services avoiding getting care. According to the CDC, only around 20% of people who have a mental illness see a mental health provider.
Cultural stigmas cause ethnic minorities to forego mental health services. Racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to seek mental health treatment. Those who do often wait until their symptoms are more severe.
Cultural stigmas cause racial and ethnic minorities to mistrust healthcare providers. This mistrust is the result of systemic racism and discrimination.
Racial and ethnic minorities feel that stereotyping and discrimination among clinicians will affect their care. There are disparities in healthcare between races and ethnicities, and this factors into the mental health system.
Because of cultural stigmas, many people now turn to alternative methods of managing their conditions. Meditation, yoga, mindfulness, breathwork, acupuncture, herbal remedies – these are just some of the ways that people manage mental health disorders when they feel afraid or too uncomfortable to seek help from therapists or psychologists.
How to Unpack and Break Down Cultural Stigmas around Mindfulness and Mental Health
Understanding that cultural stigma exists and runs deeply in our society is the first step toward unpacking and breaking it down. It can be difficult to challenge friends and family members, but it is important to speak up and make sure that you own your space.
By unpacking cultural stigmas, we can help change the way that people view mental health at home, in schools, and in the workplace. By helping educate others on mindfulness and mental health, we help ourselves; but we also help those around us. We help build a community based on love, acceptance, and support.
If you want to learn more about mindfulness and improving your mental health, reach out to Nalaverse. Our community is inviting and accepting of anyone who wants to learn, better themselves, and help better our society as a collective.
Sources:
https://online.jefferson.edu/behavioral-and-health-services/mental-health-myths/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44249/
