May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental illnesses are defined as “disorders, ranging from mild to severe, that affect a person’s thinking, mood, and/or behavior.” According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one-in-five adults live with a mental illness. We know that many factors can contribute to mental health conditions including: genetic make-up, brain chemistry, family history, environmental factors, life experiences and stressors such as trauma, abuse, neglect, poverty, discrimination, or marginalization.  We also know that accurate assessment leads to accurate pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Although there is less stigmatization than there used to be, shame can still make it challenging for people to seek the support that they deserve. Here are a few suggestions about how to reduce the shame that may be associated with mental health struggles:

• Don't make the diagnosis their identity.  Rather than saying “You are depressed” or “You are anxious” say “You are experiencing depression or anxiety.” You are more than your diagnosis.  It’s something you struggle with, not all of who you are.

• Make sure the client realizes it’s not their fault. Mental illness has lot to do with genetic wiring, family history as well as environmental and interpersonal stressors.  I always tell my clients a diagnosis is never their fault, AND it is their responsibility and their power to get it managed and treated.

• Focus on strengthening the client’s compassion for their symptoms and struggles. The best antidote to shame is compassion.

• Invite the client to view their diagnosis with the same thoughts and feelings they would if a best friend had the diagnosis. We are often kinder and less judgmental towards others than we are to ourselves.

• Continue to focus on your client’s strengths–their creativity, resiliency, determination, courage, grit, intelligence. Include conversations about the positive contributions they make, they gestures of kindness they show others.

• Rather than saying “you need help”- which clients often interpret to mean “you are crazy,”- say “you deserve support.”  It increases the likelihood that they will follow through with referrals and treatment recommendations.

People who are suffering deserve psychoeducation, guidance, cheerleading, and compassionate support.  Mental health professionals can approach these issues without judgment, focus on their clients’ strengths, endorse necessary resources, and provide the optimism and hope that become an essential part of the treatment and healing process.

Resources:

• For immediate help in a mental health crisis in Baltimore, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 confidential support, emergency counseling, and referrals to local resources.

• For general mental health information and support, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) are excellent resources.