The issue of mental and emotional health is one that comes with a great deal of stigma. People do not see mental health problems and disorders as being on a part with problems with physical wellness or wellbeing, they see it as something that is within their control, and that, therefore, they should feel ashamed of.
Fortunately, celebrities and other public figures are becoming much more open about their mental health problems, which is helping people to realise that it is very common to have mental health problems, and that they should also be open and look for advice. Unfortunately, however, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in this area, as the majority of people who suffer from mental health problems do not tell anyone, and many of these do not even seek help for their condition.
Ruby Wax and Stephen Fry are just two high-profile celebrities who have made confessions to have problems with their mental health (Wax has spoken about having depression whilst Fry is open about having a bipolar disorder), and their candour should, hopefully, encourage a trend of openness amongst other celebrities, which may help to reverse the trend to keep these things under wraps and to feel a sense of shame or social stigma about suffering.
Stigma (and the discrimination that causes the stigma, to an extent) is a big barrier to helping people recover from mental health issues. This is uniquely the case within the field of mental health, as there are very few physical issues that have a similar shame associated with them. People with mental health problems not only feel ashamed of themselves but report cases of abuse, where they are ostracised by members of their community as people are ‘afraid’ of mental illness and don’t want somebody affected by a condition they don’t understand in their midst, fearing they may be somehow dangerous.
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