Mental Health Awareness Month

The brain is a complicated organ that controls a host of functions that happen within our bodies. Sometimes, things happen that we cannot control. Historically, mental health is something humans have thought about and acted negatively towards. Today, we are fighting the negative stigma against mental health. One way of doing this is by raising awareness about the issue. March is mental health awareness month. Let us all have a hand in raising awareness for mental health issues.

There are some types of mental health issues that may be more visible than others.  Some examples of less visible illnesses may be schizophrenia, agoraphobia, and dissociative identity disorder. There are some mental health issues that are more visible to everyone. Examples of this may include generalized anxiety disorder, eating disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and depression. The stigma that if you cannot see it, its not there, is still present in our society.

One model of health in psychology is the biopsychosocial approach. This approach is a mix of biology, psychology, and social factors. This can also be seen with mental health. Biologically, physical health and genetic predispositions can strongly affect someone. Psychologically, self-esteem, social skills, and coping skills can impact someone. Socially, this would include friends, peers, school, and family. All three of these combined can have an effect on someone’s mental health. Remember not to judge someone too quickly, because you never know what could be happening in their lives that you cannot see