More Americans today are open about seeking mental health support, with many speaking freely about the positive changes experienced in their lives since seeking treatment. In fact, the previous stigmas some felt were associated with mental health have all but been eliminated, and mental health is now being prioritized just as much as our physical health. All of this is good, of course, but it has prompted me to think about the nuance that still exists relating to the language we use when describing mental conditions, and how wording and labels plays a big part in how we address our mental health. While the word “mental” has become more friendly to us, the word that immediately follows often dictates whether one seeks treatment or not.
Mental health, or mental illness?
Many years ago when I first started my career, I accidentally tripped upon a rather remarkable finding: Significantly more people welcome mental health services when the framing is around mental “health,” and not mental “illness.” Perhaps this is just a case of semantics, but to many potential consumers of mental health it can be the sole factor relating to whether one pursues mental health assistance. Yes, the term mental health includes all recognized forms of mental illness, but mental health does not imply one has a diagnosable form of mental illness. To many people, seeking help for mental illness is a much different proposition than seeking help for general mental health (which may include a mental illness diagnosis, or may not).
Building from my previous observation noted above, I also noticed early in my career that when I framed my help in terms of things like “coaching” or “mentoring” while delivering mental health support, the help was welcomed so long as the client didn’t feel as though he or she might have a diagnosable form of mental illness (i.e. depression). Simply put, I could be doing the same work, but the level of interest and compliance to treatment from the client was very different based on how our work was framed. Yes, optics play a big part in how people see and potentially use mental health support.
The interesting thing is that just changing one word — illness to health — often makes all the difference, not only in whether one pursues help, but also the likelihood the person will improve upon his or her condition. Mental health is a broad, all-encompassing term that goes beyond diagnosable psychopathology to include things like dealing with stress, or learning life skills to improve time management or conflict resolution. It is for these reasons that discussing mental issues in terms of mental health, rather than mental illness, not only invites more people to consider pursuing help, but also has a positive impact on the results one will experience from mental health treatment.
Final thoughts
Words and labels matter, especially when talking about mental health. For many people, seeking help for mental illness is too daunting, but addressing their mental health is a softer landing and more inviting way to seek help. Additionally, when we talk in terms of mental health, we expand our offering sot include life stressors that are not recognized as forms of “mental illness,” allowing more people to receive personal help. Think about these things the next time you or a loved one could benefit from mental health support, but still struggle with perceived stigmas that may prevent treatment.
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