Editing Mental Health Resources (section)

== '''Should more resources concerning mental health struggles be available to those who are not certified?''' ==
       	Mental health is viewed as a priority in society. However, the importance of it does not stop the stigma around those who are struggling. Many people find comfort in their loved ones when struggling, but what if the loved ones are not prepared for these situations? Watching a loved one struggle can be difficult but watching helplessly and being unable to help can be heartbreaking. If more people were equipped with better resources to know how to assist those who are struggling, it could be an encouragement, and could even start a healing process. 

      

One reason as to why more resources should be available is because most people would go to loved ones, and people they trust, before going to a therapist or professional. People who are struggling, and then choose to trust a loved one with their struggles, exhibit an incredible amount of trust. Therefore, their first reaction should not be to suggest a professional. As Sahaj Kaur Kohli states in his article concerning the dos and don’ts of supporting someone struggling with their mental health, “you may be tempted to...bring up an acquaintance who had the same illness but benefited from a specific strategy, treatment, or therapy. Resist this temptation.” (Kohli, 2021). Kohli goes on to say that by adding this information into the conversation, it may end up “pressuring them to get over it or minimize what they’re feeling.” Many have already made this mistake, as well as others. Information on how to assist loved ones struggling with their mental health must be searched for, which at times, can be difficult. All kinds of resources, such as books, classes, articles, etc., should be readily available, and offered anywhere. Loved ones want to be able to help, and they should be able to. By providing more resources to those who are uncertified, it can provide a peaceful and safe environment for those who are struggling. 

   

   	There are several reasons why people do not go to therapy, even if they need it. Some may wonder, “why should more resources be available if people don’t even want help?” It is not a matter of whether or not they want help. (Kohli, 2021). No one who is actually struggling with a mental illness wants to continue struggling with it. There are several factors that affect someone’s decision concerning therapy. Neuroses, the classification that contains illnesses such as depression and anxiety, have lately been turned into a trend. Most people who fake these illnesses do it for attention, and do not realize how hard it can be to wrestle with it. Due to these trends, and a disorder called Munchausen’s Syndrome, people who are actually struggling may begin to doubt themselves, and think that they are faking their illness. Society also puts a large stigma on mental illness. Society may tell people who are wrestling with their diagnosis that they are “crazy” or “need to be fixed.” In reality, these illnesses are just a struggle, and they do not define a person. Sometimes, people are just unable to get help because their symptoms make it difficult. Being able to go to a loved one, and that person being able to respond appropriately, may ease some anxiety, and be a reassurance that these people are not broken, just in need of healing. 

       	Some may disagree that more resources should be available. They may argue that more people are beginning to go to therapy, and more people are getting help, so there is no need to provide extra resources. This is true. A survey done in the United States done by the American Psychological Association shows that 48 percent of people reported a previous visit to a mental health professional by either themselves or a household member. The survey also shows that 91 percent of people would seek help if they or a family member was struggling. However, statistics also show that less than half of people that struggle with mental illnesses seek help from professionals. This shows that there is still a need for these resources, and that people should continue to be supportive, and continue to learn all that they can. 

   

   	In conclusion, more resources should be available to uncertified people. Society as a whole should come together and be willing to learn how to be supportive to those who need it. These resources could help someone save a life one day. The more society educates itself on mental health, and how to provide help to those who are unable to reach out to professionals, the more change it may bring.