Mental Health: Relationships and Misconceptions

“Monsters in Your Head” portrays the impact of mental illness on individuals experiencing it along with the systems and people who interact with the individual. The purpose of the song is to express a dialogue from a person who cares about the individual with the mental illness and to display the challenges the two people can have in understanding one another. While one song and one page of research can barely scratch the surface of such a dense issue, the purpose is to start a conversation and explore the possible associated feelings from parties on both sides. Let’s dive into some research!

Mental health or mental illness have been stigmatized terms for a long time and, historically, people were quickly labeled with a diagnosis and institutionalized (Manderscheid, Ryff, Freeman, McKnight-Eily, Dhingra, & Strine, 2010). Previously, mental health professionals utilized a disease-focused lens, disregarding an individual’s holistic needs and their mind-body connection (Manderscheid, Ryff, Freeman, McKnight-Eily, Dhingra, & Strine, 2010). In the present day, mental health has shifted towards a more well-rounded approach where many different factors are considered to better understand an individual’s mental health. These factors include an individual’s living environment, their relationships, their sense of identity, their sense of purpose, their physical health, and their past experiences (Manderscheid, Ryff, Freeman, McKnight-Eily, Dhingra, & Strine, 2010). While the societal understanding of mental health is becoming slightly less-stigmatizing, there are still many challenges for individuals with mental illness in today’s world (Corrigan & Watson, 2002).

The severity and type of challenges caused by negative mental health vary by population (gender, race, sexuality, socio-economic status, country of origin, etc.) but common themes remain including misconceptions about the impact of a mental illness on an individual’s life. People experiencing mental illness struggle with symptoms from the illness while also combating the prejudice and stigmas from the general society and relationships in their personal lives (Corrigan & Watson, 2002). Individuals with a mental illness can face discrimination from the public, especially in terms of employment & housing. They can also internalize the discrimination to create self-prejudice and further impact their capability of achieving positive mental health (Corrigan & Watson, 2002). An individual's anticipated discrimination based on the mental illness they are experiencing can be a large obstacle in society and close relationships as well (Hansson, Stjernsward & Svensson, 2013).

HOLD ON! This is all quite complex and overwhelming, isn’t it? The person who is experiencing a mental illness not only has real physical things going on in their brain but they are also trying to combat outside systems and perceptions while trying to keep their emotional/mental self intact. And the next layer of the issue adds yet more complexity: the impact of people who care for or are in some form of relationship with the person who has a mental illness and their perceptions/feelings.

Family and friends of individuals with mental illness can be deeply affected by the condition which can compound the positive or negative affects on the individual's mental health. Family members and friends often take up caregiving roles depending on the severity of the mental illness (Van Der Sanden, Stutterheim, Pryor, Kok, & Bos, 2014). These roles can be voluntary but often result in resentment, frustration, and exhaustion in family and friends (Van Der Sanden, Stutterheim, Pryor, Kok, & Bos, 2014). The individual with the mental illness frequently feels like a burden and internalizes the negative feelings of the caregivers (Van Der Sanden, Stutterheim, Pryor, Kok, & Bos, 2014). These factors can hinder an individual with mental illness from having positive social networks which are a large dimension of personal recovery from mental illness (Sweet, Byng, Webber, & Gragn Enki, 2018). The family and friends of the individual with mental illness can begin to feel unsupported and unable to maintain their level of care for the individual with the mental illness, especially when they are not receiving support from outside providers (Yesufu-Udechuku, Harrison, Mayo-Wilson, Young, Woodhams, Shiers, Kuipers, & Kendall, 2015).

Mental health or mental illness is a complicated issue with valid perspectives from all angles. The people and systems are all impacting one another while interacting with their own feelings and challenges. So, what can be done?

The research identifies the importance of self-care for people who are caring for or are in some form of relationship with the individual experiencing mental illness (Yesufu-Udechuku, Harrison, Mayo-Wilson, Young, Woodhams, Shiers, Kuipers, & Kendall, 2015; Ljunberg, Denhov, Topor, 2015). Self-care could include talking to a mental health professional, spending time with outside friends and family, taking care of their physical health, and actively participating in their own passions or hobbies when possible. The research also identifies factors which could play a role in helping a person with a mental illness achieve their own positive mental health. These include, but are not limited to, engaging and maintaining a strong relationship with a mental health professional, having positive social networks, receiving affirmation from those networks, and engaging in activities which promote self-purpose and identity (Ljunberg, Denhov, Topor, 2015; Sweet, Byng, Webber, & Gragn Enki, 2018; Manderscheid, Ryff, Freeman, McKnight-Eily, Dhingra, & Strine, 2010). The research and understanding of mental health is still evolving and many challenges are still present but the above information can assist in continuing a conversation and spreading awareness about the topic as well as possible supportive factors to help combat the issue.

The purpose of this project is to spark genuine conversations about real things people experience which can be hard to talk about. The hope is that we all can learn a little, become a little more vulnerable in our relationships, and feel more confident and brave in confronting the challenges we face.

References

Corrigan, P & Watson, A. (2002). Understanding the impact of stigma on people with mental illness. World Psychiatry 1(1).

Manderscheid, R., Ryff, C., Freeman, E., McKnight-Eily, L, Dhingra, S., & Strine, T. (2010). Evolving definitions of mental illness and wellness. Preventing Chronic Disease 7(1).

Hansson, L, Stjernsward, S. & Svensson, B. (2013). Perceived and anticipated discrimination in people with mental illness- An interview study. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry 68(2).

Ljungberg, A., Denhov, A., Topor, A. (2015). The art of helpful relationships with professionals: A meta-ethnography of the perspective of persons with severe mental illness. Psychiatric Quarterly 86 (4).

Sweet, D., Byng, R., Webber, M., & Gragn Enki, D. (2018). Personal well-being networks, social capital and severe mental illness: exploratory study. The British Journal of Psychiatry 212 (5).

Van Der Sanden, R., Stutterheim, S., Pryor, J., Kok, G., & Bos, A. (2014). Coping with stigma by association and family burden among family members of people with mental illness. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 202 (10).

Yesufu-Udechuku, A., Harrison, B., Mayo-Wilson, E., Young, N., Woodhams, P., Shiers, D., Kuipers, E., & Kendall, T. (2015). Interventions to improve the experience of caring for people with severe mental illness: systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry 206 (4).