There’s a Facebook post that’s been around for a while that speaks of a number of mental health/illness issues in a few lines. It does not carry authorship, but every posting requests that the reader copy and paste in solidarity with whomever among their friends may be having one or more of the experiences mentioned.
In one fleeting paragraph, the author attempts to treat with thoughts of suicide, mental illness, depression, family problems, and death by suicide, health struggles, job issues, worries of any kind, and the fact that no one is immune from these issues.
I’ve read it a few times but never reposted. And it’s not that I do not care. I do. I support every effort to raise awareness of mental health/illness issues, thinking always that we are so far behind the zero that every intervention is necessary. What I look to see though are the comments from others and, as expected, they are few, very obscure and tenuous.
I have speculated that because stigma and discrimination are so deeply entrenched in our society there are many people who would think twice to “like” a post such as the one in view. I have had a community page for a number of years and thankfully it has been able to attract a little over 500 likes. But as a frequent Facebook user, I look on with envy as some issues burst the 5,000 likes mark in a week.
Of course, fetes, mas bands and politics are out front in mass appeal, but the pages on wellbeing, mental health or illness, rejecting stigma and discrimination, neuro or psychosocial disabilities do not have like traction even with the accepted statistic that a quarter of T&T’s population live with or are experiencing mental illness right now as I write.
While I applaud all efforts by the State and others, I still maintain that these are of negligible magnitude and remain insufficient as a country approach to mental health/illness. Until the State provides citizens with a blanket of security with respect to their dignity and discrimination, we are spinning top in mud. We will not make the progress necessary for our country and our economy.
The government of Dr Keith Rowley must do better than the ones before to ensure advancement in mental health. At the end of Dr Fuad Khan’s tenure as Minister of Health, a wind, just higher than a breeze, started lifting these issues—too little too late I said then.
But what would be a travesty is if Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh does not place an even higher emphasis on, first, accepting these statistics, and second, acting in the leadership role he is expected to take if we are to see the revolution in mental health awareness, care for the mentally ill, and the stymieing of stigma and discrimination.
I keep saying, mental health matters are not as small as we are making it out to be and there’ll be a price to pay if we continue to “sweep the issues under the rug.”
Regarding the Facebook post, a few friends have messaged me about others who have responded by private messages, telling of their individual despair and trepidation to seek help. That I know to be a prevalent situation here. People are so afraid of the backlash if their mental health status were to be known by spouses, friends, employers, et al.
I fully appreciate that. It’s for that reason I insist that until there is a proper state-led intervention in mental illness, and a national campaign to increase awareness, encourage tolerance and acceptance, the burden of stigma and fear of discrimination will continue to trump the battle for openness, or even that of seeking care. Such interventions can alleviate the desperation felt here:
Facebook post: Many people think that a suicide attempt is a selfish move because the person just does not care about the people left behind. I can tell you that when a person gets to that point, they truly believe that their loved ones will be much better off with them gone. This is mental illness not selfishness.
TRUTH: Depression is a terrible disease and seems relentless. A lot of us have been close to that edge, or dealt with family members in a crisis, and some have lost friends and loved ones. Let’s look out for each other and stop sweeping mental illness under the rug. If I don’t see your name, I’ll understand. May I ask my family and friends wherever you might be, to kindly copy and paste this status for one hour to give a moment of support to all those who have family problems, health struggles, job issues, worries of any kind and just need to know that someone cares. Do it for all of us, for nobody is immune. Hope to see this on the walls of all my family and friends just for moral support. I know some will! I did it for a friend and you can too.
n Caroline C Ravello is a strategic communications and media practitioner with over 30 years of proficiency. She holds an MA in Mass Communications and is pursuing the MSc in Public Health from the UWI. She has been living/thriving with mental health issues for over 35 years. Write to: mindful.tt@gmail.com