October is National Mental Health Month.

We will share a few articles and insights here during the month.

In sickness and in health:

Two sides of the same brain

Mental health is often thought of as representing the opposite of mental illness.  In that respect, mental health is more than the mere absence of mental illness.  It is a positive state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.

Where we sit on the continuum of mental health and mental illness is not fixed.  It is almost a certainty that we will have ups and downs our lives – at work, at home, within ourselves, in our relationships, and in what is going on about us.  These changes pull us towards one end of the continuum or the other: a little more this way today, a bit more that way tomorrow.

A good proportion of us – two out of every five people – will experience a big enough shift during our lives that we find ourselves on the unwell end of the continuum.  One out of every five would have had that experience in the last twelve months.  Despite mental health problems being so common, there is still stigma attached to having a mental illness.

In one study, more than one third of respondents said they would not want anyone to know if they were experiencing depression/anxiety.  Just under one third believed it best to not disclose the same when applying for a new job.  More than a quarter expected that a colleague with depression/anxiety would be unpredictable, and unlikely to perform adequately at their job.

Everyone has a part to play in destigmatising mental illness.  Educating ourselves about mental illness can dispel stereotypes and reshape ideas and attitudes about mental illness and people who experience them.  Discussing mental health/illness openly encourages openness and understanding.  Choosing our language with care normalises respect that most take for granted.

People can and do recover from mental illness and go on to live rich and meaningful lives.  Recovery can be framed in clinical terms, with a focus on reducing symptoms, increasing functioning, and getting ‘back to normal’.  It can also be thought of as a personal journey of change to achieve wellness, even in the presence of symptoms and functional impairments.

Personal recovery sits very well with the positive construction of mental health described above.  The CHIME model of personal recovery outlines five essential elements for life: Connectedness, Hope and optimism, Identity, Meaning and Empowerment.  These five elements are eminently compatible with coping, learning, working, self-actualising, and contributing to the community.

The CHIME model finds resonance in the Five Ways to Wellbeing framework, which encourages people to ‘do the five’: Connect, Be Active, Keep Learning, Be Aware and Help Others.  These are simple everyday practices that extensive international research has found to be effective ways to improve psychological and emotional health.

October is National Mental Health Month.  It is an opportunity to raise awareness of the stigma associated with mental illness and promote positive wellbeing in the community.  You can participate in one of the many events that have been planned, organise your own or, if you prefer, celebrate wellbeing on a more personal level by attending to what works for you.

Sources

Aked, J., Marks, N., Cordon, C., & Thompson, S. (2008). Five ways to wellbeing. New Economics Foundation. https://neweconomics.org/2008/10/five-ways-to-wellbeing

Corrigan, P. W., & Watson, A. C. (2002). Understanding the impact of stigma on people with mental illness. World Psychiatry, 1(1), 16–20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1489832/

Leamy, M., Bird, V., Boutillier, C. L., Williams, J., & Slade, M. (2011). Conceptual framework for personal recovery in mental health: systematic review and narrative synthesis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 199(6), 445–452. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.110.083733

Penn, D. L., & Couture, S. M. (2002). Strategies for reducing stigma toward persons with mental illness. World Psychiatry, 1(1), 20–21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1489812/

TNS. (2014). State of workplace mental health in Australia. Beyond Blue; TNS. https://www.headsup.org.au/docs/default-source/resources/bl1270-report—tns-the-state-of-mental-health-in-australian-workplaces-hr.pdf?sfvrsn=8