How to Recognize and Respond to Mental Illness?

The coronavirus pandemic has left a toll on those struggling with their mental health, but because these struggles aren’t physical, how do we recognize the signs of mental illness without playing into false stigmas?

Click play below to hear a vox pop:

Mental health remains a prominent issue in our society, with the COVID-19 pandemic creating further mental trauma over a nearly two-year period. Unfortunately, the hidden nature of mental illness and its many forms make the symptoms difficult to detect. Furthermore, individuals afflicted may not come forward with their struggles because of the false stigmas surrounding mental illness. Those asked about mental illness provide various experiences of how they’ve witnessed it but acknowledge the importance of helping people who are struggling internally.

Further reading:

https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/mental-health-myths-facts

https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/otsuka/2021/10/04/these-3-changes-can-help-us-overcome-the-mental-health-pandemic/