Sami Al-Asady
Guest Writer
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our daily lives in countless ways. Since March, we have been adapting to social distancing protocols, mask wearing, and for many students, distanced learning. One lesson from the pandemic that struck me, in particular, is the importance of social connection and mental health. We discovered that we cannot thrive in solitude; we need to socialize.
The lack of meaningful social connections has hit teenagers hardest. Adolescence is supposed to be a time where we grow independent from our parents and make sense of the world in which we live in. The COVID-19 quarantine, however, has made it difficult to access trusted friends and adults. It should come as no surprise that teens have experienced a sharp decline in mental health.
Despite the abundance of online resources, there still exists a stubborn societal stigma that deems the admission of mental health issues as taboo. At Ironwood, you may tune into conversations about the latest gossip, but seldom do you hear people candidly discuss their emotional well-being.
“I’m so tired,” a student would groan, to which another student responds, “same.” This is the most comprehensive mental health conversations get at Ironwood. The reality is that many of us struggle with symptoms of poor mental health, such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Why, then, do we shy away from conversations about mental health?
There are various factors that contribute to this paradigm. For instance, there are cultural pressures. In America, we live in a consumer-driven capitalistic society. Institutions punish us if we do not provide results; anything that stops us from the elusive ideal of success, including mental health, is of zero consequence. It is understandable why we withhold our emotional issues: we fear our fast-paced, unforgiving society will ostracize us.
Cultural pressures are not limited to America, however. Among children of immigrants, mental health is taboo doubly so. I can speak from the experience of growing up with Bosnian, Iraqi, and American culture. I found that these attitudes often stem from traumatic experiences, usually as a consequence of lives battered by war, poverty, and political violence. When parents who had sacrificed incessantly see their children suffer from mental illness, they are reviled. How can our children complain about “sadness” despite the privilege of living in America?
Across the globe, there is a tension between the principle of cultural competency and cultural accountability. The former argues that it is humanity’s shared responsibility to accept and understand all cultural practices, regardless of the consequences. And the latter argues that cultures must be held accountable for practices that may be perceived as harmful to the Western world. This begs the question: Can we be culturally sensitive while simultaneously furthering the importance of mental health?
Ultimately, what prevents the end of the mental health stigma is us. By not opening up in conversations with others, we deprive ourselves of the fruits of mutual understanding. More rewarding than any materialistic possession is the feeling of a profound connection with another person. But our society punishes vulnerability. We are supposed to be okay not only because we are expected to, but also because if we are not, there is something wrong with us.
In writing this, I hope to communicate to my peers that, despite our challenges with mental health, there is absolutely nothing wrong with us. We are not mentally ill. We are people with mental health issues. The next time someone asks, “How are you?” please feel free to tell them how you really feel.
The mental health stigma will not be broken by this article, but I hope it can serve as an important landmark in your journey towards happiness. At Ironwood, you have access to peers, teachers, and guidance counselors who care about your emotional well-being. If you need help, please don’t hesitate to ask for it; we are here for you.
Let us have a campus-wide discussion at Ironwood on mental health. Let us be more honest in our day-to-day conversations. Let us affect change at the grassroots level—in our family, community, neighborhood, and school. Let us be brave enough to challenge this stigma.
As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.”
Image Credit: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
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