Introduction
Having spent a long time working in the field, I consider that the key to changes in outcome for mental illness can be found in **ending the silence** over mental illness. We must work actively on a number of fronts as an approach toward reducing stigma, increasing awareness, and improving access to mental health care.
1. Advocate Public Education:
There is a need for a huge educative campaign intervention into mental health conditions.Such campaigns can commence at schools whereby children and young people can be able to identify the early symptoms of distress in themselves and other individuals. I have seen firsthand how intervention with young people can be developed much earlier compared to the advanced problems later in life. Workplaces and communities should encourage normal conversation of mental health matters.
2. Policy and Structural Changes:
The government has taken quite a few steps with the **Mental Healthcare Act of 2017**, but the implementation is still rather weak. The services for mental health should become affordable and available, specially in rural areas. Mental health care should be integrated into the primary health care systems so that even the general practitioners are trained to identify and treat mental health disorders.
3. Corporate Support:
Employee assistance programs and general openness around mental health needs to be encouraged to promote mental wellness in the workplace. I have worked with many organizations on the integration of mental health support into employee benefits; it's encouraging to see more businesses shift in this direction.
Conclusion:
Mental illness is that invisible epidemic: it hits us all-directly or indirectly. Since my mental illness, I have
been in this field of psychology for 33 years and know that healing starts with the moment people feel secure enough to admit that they need some kind of help. Society has to adjust not just in how we treat mental illness but also in how we speak of it. It's only when we tear down these hidden barriers that we can help individuals lead healthier, more productive lives.