"Unpacking the Rise of Mental Health: A Genuine Concern or Trend?"

Recently, there has been a noticeable surge of intrigue in discussions and consciousness involving mental health. An important question comes to light when discussing mental health: Is this increased attention a genuine concern for well-being, or simply a passing trend?

In today’s post, I want to get into the real reason why the world has elevated mental Health Matters' from a passing notion to a deeply rooted and urgent concern. Weirdly, we humans have existed for so long that it is only now that depression has become a mental illness. According to NAMI, their early pioneers never sought help, afraid of rejection that would affect their relationships, careers, and lives. The "Mental Health Matters" movement started around the 1970s and 1980s. Though people couldn't spread awareness through social media, email, or the Internet, they started using their fax machines, phone trees, and hand-stuffed packets sent through the mail. These advocates started laying the groundwork for the next 40 years of mental health advocacy. So it started as a genuine concern, but has Generation Z made it into a trend?

Like any other generation, Gen Z is shaped by cultural circumstances and experiences that have an impact on their beliefs, habits, and even how they view mental health. They have seen a rise in conversations and understanding of mental health concerns in popular media, as well as easier access to information thanks to the internet and social media. This generation has significantly contributed to the normalization of mental health discourse and the promotion of wellness. Although it's true that some parts of mental health, like self-care routines, have become more well-known and in demand among Gen Z, it would be misleading to characterize mental health as merely a trend.

The term "mental health" refers to a broad spectrum of ailments, difficulties, and experiences that differ from person to person. Viewing mental health as a fad could obscure the actual problems and difficulties that people experience. It may obscure the necessity of making fundamental adjustments to the healthcare, educational, and other systems that can effectively help people who are dealing with mental health issues.

"People who talk about mental health struggles are not "attention seeking", they are "support seeking.""

 -Unknown