Healing towards Healthier Minds

The Olympics took the internet by storm last year: from athletes bringing back laurels to their countries to the world being back together as a united force, celebrating our sense of hope and the ability to fight after having gotten through a global pandemic for the last few years. But in this storm, there was a tiny surge of awareness: awareness about awarding yourself with a chance to heal when this statement by Simon Bales got out –

“Put mental health first because if you don’t then you are not going to enjoy your sport, you are not going to succeed as much as you want to. So, it’s okay sometimes to even sit out the big competitions to focus on yourself because it shows how strong of a competitor and person you really are rather than just battle through it.”

Ever since the epiphany of being in the middle of a pandemic has dawned upon us, the awareness in terms of mental health has indeed been skyrocketed especially with the sensitive issue gaining traction on social media platforms and among the startup ecosystem as well. But at the same threshold, accessibility in terms of seeking help hasn’t bolstered as much. Despite being aware, why are not people able to seek the help that they need?

Accessibility brings onto the stage an array of factors, including lack of affordability, less motivation among people to build a career in psychology, the stigma that has existed in civilizations all over the globe for what feels like forever now.

But how was this stigma even born? Why are people so afraid of seeking help? What can be the possible manifestations of professional help? Is there a standard way through which people could heal? Or does healing look different for every person out there?

To learn more, check out this video: