By Madison Goslee
Therapy is formally defined as “treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder” (Oxford Languages). Though, the most typically thought of idea in regards to mental health is what is psychotherapy, a variety of treatments that can be used to help individuals deal with a wide array of mental conditions or emotional challenges. It is often used to alleviate symptoms of such, or find the psychological root. Yet, both societal and self stigma can limit individuals from reaching out to receive this type of treatment. Thus, it is important to remove these barriers in order to better support those who may be particularly vulnerable, as well as positively impact those who feel they may not be.
Defining Stigma
In order to understand the importance of normalizing psychotherapy within society, it is essential to understand the barriers that prevent its regularization. According to the National Library of Medicine, public stigma is often the most prominent form of said barrier and “represents the prejudice and discrimination directed at a group by the larger population”. The result of this in regards to mental health can lead to social outcasting and isolation of those who may be suffering from mental illness. This can also lead people to feel as if therapy is only for the “weirdos, the basket cases, and the extremely ill”, as stated by Abigail Steinberg in reference to her own experiences with stigma. The result of its prominence is self stigma, the internalization of these public ideas. Self stigma leads individuals with mental health disorders or illness to have reduced self-esteem, as well as avoid treatment and several other social opportunities.
Therapy for Everyone
Despite the ideas presented in stigma, therapy has several benefits for people who are not considered mentally ill. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), situations many people experience, such as death, job loss, divorce, and etc., can lead to large amounts of stress within one’s life. These can be alleviated through psychotherapy. Even if one may not be going through such dramatic life changes, everyday stressors can “eventually overwhelm you” despite the thought of being able to handle it. Simply put, someone does not necessarily have to have a disorder or condition to seek therapy, and it is quite beneficial for everyone to receive such if they have access. After all, it can be a preventionary measure to ensure that one does not develop a psychiatric condition.
The Link Between Mental and Physical Health
In helping prevent a psychiatric condition, therapy can also help prevent issues with physical health as well. There has long been a connection between both mental and physical health, as the worsening of one can do the same to the other. For example, depression can have several physical symptoms, such as pains, “gastrointestinal problems, tiredness, sleep disturbances, psychomotor activity changes, and appetite changes” (Trivedi). On the other hand, prevention of certain heart diseases has been linked to improved psychological conditions. According to the American Heart Association, “ there is now an increasing appreciation of how psychological health can contribute not only in a negative way to
cardiovascular disease (CVD) but also in a positive way to better cardiovascular health and reduced cardiovascular risk”. Thus, positive mental health results in positive physical health, and vice versa. Therefore, since psychotherapy is a tool to help regulate mental health, it's important to normalize such for a society with better health.
Conclusion
To conclude, it is important to break down the stigma that stops several from seeking therapy. Not only does it harm those that already suffer from mental health conditions, but also those who may be at risk for such. It is not reserved for those who may suffer severe symptoms, but simply for everyone to balance a significant part of their overall health. Mental health is as important as physical health. Therapy should be treated as a regulatory practice, similar to one’s yearly doctor check ups.
Sources Cited
Buck, B., & Hester, N. (2018). “Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness, Only More So”: Normalizing Beliefs and their Buffering Effects on Psychiatric Symptoms. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37(1), 69–82. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2018.37.1.69
Corrigan, P. W., & Rao, D. (2012). On the Self-Stigma of Mental Illness: Stages, Disclosure, and Strategies for Change. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 57(8), 464–469.
Heney, D. B. (2022). Solving for stigma in mental health care. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 28(5). https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.13735
Levine, G. N., Cohen, B. E., Commodore-Mensah, Y., Fleury, J., Huffman, J. C., Khalid, U., Labarthe, D. R., Lavretsky, H., Michos, E. D., Spatz, E. S., & Kubzansky, L. D. (2021). Psychological Health, Well-Being, and the Mind-Heart-Body Connection: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation, 143(10). https://doi.org/10.1161/cir.0000000000000947
National Institute of Mental Health. (2024, February). Psychotherapies. Www.nimh.nih.gov; National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies Steinberg, A. (2017). Normalizing counseling is the first step in a long fight to support all who struggle with mental health. UWIRE Text, 1–1.
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Trivedi, M. H. (2024). The Link Between Depression and Physical Symptoms. Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 6(suppl 1), 12.
Zweifel, P. (2021). Mental health: The burden of social stigma. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management, 36(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.3122
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