Bring yourself back in time to 2010 and see for yourself how dramatically the tides have changed. The 2010’s have been a decade of great progress in recognizing the role of our mental and emotional health.
Mental health was not positively portrayed in the schools, on the news or on scripted television. In this decade shows like “This is Us” and “You’re the Worst” showed us the truth about panic attacks, mental illness and suicide. Gen. Z reports a willingness to talk about mental health, and are more open to therapy now than ever before.
We have all experienced chaos with the mass shootings, racism, climate change, reported sexual assaults and celebrity suicides. We mourned the loss of celebrities like Robin Williams, Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain and many others who took their own lives. The public nature of celebrity deaths by suicide yielded to a more monumental conversation about mental health, according to Gregory Dalack, chair of the Michigan Medicine Department of Psychiatry and treasurer of the American Psychiatric Association. The tragedies “triggered greater awareness about the stigma around mental health and the importance of seeking help,” he told HuffPost. “Their deaths also served as a reminder that mental illness affects everyone regardless of age or socioeconomic status,” Dalack added.
Michelle Obama spoke about the importance of mental health; Demi Lovato and Prince Harry became a part of the anti-stigma campaign.
There has been a rise in mindfulness and meditation apps, social media users are being transparent about their struggles with mental health. “Self-care” is everywhere.
I have always been proud of my ambition to become a therapist, even when mental health wasn’t as “normalized”. That being said, we have a LONG way to go. I am excited to be a therapist in 2020’s and I am hopeful to see improved access to mental health care across the nation.