Top psychiatrist reveals the best New Year’s resolution to make for 2024

NEW Year’s day is a time for reflection – and about setting goals for the 12 months ahead.

And as Scots set their resolutions, consultant psychiatrist Dr Murray Smith has a good idea for what should be at the top of the list.

1

He reckons stamping out stigma on mental health and supporting loved ones who are suffering is the best way forward for 2024.

Today he writes for The Scottish Sun about why there’s still so much taboo on the subject and how to help those in need.

AS we clear away the party hats and embark on another new year, most of us would have woken up with very good intentions this morning.

A list of possible New Year’s Resolutions to try to stick to as we welcome in 2024 with some cheer.

And I’m betting most folk will not have combating stigma and discrimination at the top of their New Year resolution list.

But stigma still sadly exists. And this is especially true for those who suffer from severe mental illness.

Stigma basically means negative beliefs about others or a group of people.

But thinking someone is different because they have a mental health problem just doesn’t make sense.

Anyone from any walk of life can find themselves with a severe mental illness or need treatment for a condition, such as an eating disorder, bipolar and schizophrenia, amongst others.

When I say anyone, I mean your friend, a work colleague or even a family member. You maybe just don’t know about it because they’re too afraid to mention it.

It’s a surprising and disappointing fact to learn that people most commonly experience stigma from people who are closest to them.

Sadly, asking for help is not easy either due to people’s thoughts on mental illness.

A study by Scottish mental health charity See Me recently revealed 44 per cent of Scots have witnessed someone experiencing stigma or discrimination because of a mental illness.

Although the good news is that 47 per cent of people felt confident challenging these views.

But in today’s modern Scotland we need that number to be much higher. Nobody should be getting treated unfairly if they’re struggling mentally.

Casual stigma continues to be common. Language such as “psycho” or “don’t be mental” is still used in conversations both in person and on social media.

We also see reinforced stereotypes, such as a mental health patient Halloween costumes or characters with mental illness being portrayed negatively or as aggressive on TV programmes and in movies. Not to mention the iconic films, like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest starring the renowned Hollywood actor Jack Nicholson.

On social media, pictures are used regularly of people clutching their heads to depict mental illness.

Even phrases to loved ones such as “pull yourself together” can be hurtful even if it’s said in jest.

Often people don’t realise they’re causing harm to someone with their language, but the fact is that these sorts of phrases can be really harmful.

Negative language can cause self-doubt and make people question themselves, which doesn’t help at all if you’re suffering from a mental health problem.

So, if this has inspired you to make reducing stigma as one of your top New Year’s resolutions – I now have some advice on how to go about it.

If you hear someone using the wrong language or read it on social media – challenge it.

The more we confront this type of behaviour, whether it is intentional or not, then the more we can stamp it out for good.

Avoid judging people, especially if you hear or know they have a mental health condition – mental illness can happen to anyone.

Please don’t ignore someone who asks for your help and don’t see it as attention-seeking, just because they’re asking. Seeking out help is a sign of strength.

If you know someone is dealing with a mental illness, be patient with them. Don’t expect them to open up straight away as it can be an extremely daunting experience for someone.

Don’t ignore or avoid a loved-one or friend with mental ill health. They’re still the person you know. They’re just unwell.

Educate yourself on what mental illness is. It’s a fascinating subject if I do say so myself!

If you learn about it, then you may just be able to help someone in a more positive way.