By Kieu Huynh, age 15
1) Decreased stigmatization/normalization
The rise of COVID-19 has prompted a drastic increase in today’s mental health diagnoses. With so many people living with these types of issues in modern society, many citizens have adapted to accepting these disorders among their peers, and reducing the negative attitude given to those with mental health disorders. Aside from an increase in mental health cases and awareness, another contributing factor to the normalization of mental health issues is the media. People are often influenced by what they watch on television. Given that popular TV shows, such as ‘This is Us’ and ‘Euphoria’ have incorporated mental health issues into their plot without putting a demeaning and negative connotation to it, it influences the audience to do the same; not put such a negative emphasis on mental health disorders. It also allows the audience to view mental health disorders as a normal thing that many people experience in their lifetime.
2) An increase in better treatment options
To address the spiking amounts of mental health disorders found throughout the country, various types of treatment options have become available. Unlike the 1800s, where patients would dance as treatment for their mental health disorders, treatment now comes in in-person and online platforms. Treatment now includes clinical help, including therapy and medication, support groups, school counseling services, and even apps that can help reduce the severity of mental health disorders in a person’s daily life. With more treatment options available, people now have a variety of ways to improve their mental health and they can choose what fits them best.
3) Increased government action regarding mental health issues
Believe it or not, governments across the world have put in effort to improve conditions for people with mental health disorders. The US government passed The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) to prevent health insurance companies from discriminating against those with mental health issues by lowering benefits or raising costs. The Australian government even doubled its mental health budget from $1 billion AUD in 2007 to $2.1 billion AUD in 2019 (Williamson, 2020). Both these examples go to show that governments across the world have prioritized mental health issues in order to improve the lives and treatment of those facing them.
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