Prophecy Foretold

 Prophecy Foretold

The way we talk about mental health can shape how we see it, experience it, and examine it. When we use certain labels to describe someone's mental state, it can have real consequences. For example, if we call someone "depressed," they may start to believe and act like it, influenced by how others treat them based on that label. This cycle can make the label stick, even if it may not accurately reflect their experiences.

Given these challenges, it's important to approach mental health differently. The prevailing ideologies surrounding mental health pose serious challenges for mainstream services, beyond issues of funding or access. These ideologies perpetuate the notion that mental disorders are widespread and require a diagnosis for effective treatment, fueling an industry centred around psychiatric labels. 

Consequently, these ideologies have seeped into our daily lives, making us feel like we are potential patients, alienating us from normal emotions, and making us believe that our experiences indicate deep-rooted problems in our minds. Many people can end up seeing themselves as broken and in need of fixing instead of understanding that their emotions are part of normal, natural human experiences that call for empathy, connection, and compassion.