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Tag: breaking stigma

  • How "This Is Us" Encourages Men To Speak About Mental Health

    How "This Is Us" Encourages Men To Speak About Mental Health

    The critically-acclaimed series showcased a candid conversation about mental health in a recent episode.

    Warning: This article may contain spoilers.

    The NBC drama series This Is Us doesn’t shy from addressing tough issues like the stress of in-vitro fertilization and the trauma of war. In the most recent episode, the show depicts two men talking about mental health. This simple exchange, broadcast on a major TV network, is more impactful than we know.

    A conversation between brothers-in-law Randall (played by Sterling K. Brown) and Toby (Chris Sullivan) turns to their personal demons.

    “I can’t picture you with anxiety. You know, the way you present,” says Toby. “That’s what we do, right? Men,” Randall replies.

    Toby, who we know has struggled with depression in the past, said that without his medication for his condition, “life gets pretty scary.” Randall is surprised to learn that his brother is medicating for depression. “Never would have known.”

    Toby’s depression diagnosis surfaced after separating with his first wife. And as he and wife Kate Pearson (played by Chrissy Metz) struggle to conceive, he is informed by a doctor that his depression medication may be affecting his sperm.

    As for Randall, his anxiety surfaced near the end of Season 1, when he had a panic attack, and it was addressed further, rather accurately, in Season 2. We learn that he has dealt with anxiety since he was a child and suffers panic attacks from time to time.

    Writer and co-executive producer KJ Steinberg, described the making of the normally taboo conversation between Randall and Toby. “[It’s] actually a really sensitive conversation,” he said. “The fear is to treat it too glibly. You never want anything to appear too simple. But you also are writing for characters who share an intimacy and a need to connect with one another.”

    Overall, the show is not afraid to depict the vulnerabilities of the men on the show. We learn that Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) had a drinking problem, as did his father. “We’re a family of addicts. Our father was an addict. We don’t talk about his drinking problem,” said Jack’s son Kevin (Justin Hartley), who faced his own addiction to opioid painkillers.

    Public health campaigns like Heads Together in the UK encourage people to speak up, not hide away, mental health issues they may be struggling with—particularly men. Retired Olympic medalist Michael Phelps is also on a mission to shed the stigma of mental health issues. He has publicly discussed his own struggles with depression and alcohol on many occasions.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Taraji P Henson Talks Breaking Mental Health Stigma, Therapy

    Taraji P Henson Talks Breaking Mental Health Stigma, Therapy

    “I go home to problems just like everybody else. I’m here to tell you, I have a therapist. I probably need to see her more often.”

    Actress Taraji P. Henson is continuing her campaign to create dialogue about mental health in the black community.

    In a recent appearance on GMA Day, Henson got personal with some strong words about mental health. “When I go to set and you see me as Cookie and they yell ‘Cut,’ I go home to problems just like everybody else. I’m here to tell you, I have a therapist. I probably need to see her more often,” she said on the morning show.

    In August, the Empire actress launched the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF) in honor of her late father. “My dad fought in the Vietnam War for our country, returned broken, and received little to no physical and emotional support,” Henson said at the time. “”I stand now in his absence, committed to offering support to African Americans who face trauma daily, simply because they are black.”

    Through her foundation, the actress is targeting the African American community specifically to eradicate the stigma around mental health issues, hoping to break the silence and encourage the community to be open about their struggles.

    “Why aren’t we embarrassed to talk about our thyroid problem but we’re embarrassed to talk about our mental [health]? As far as African Americans, we don’t include that in total health care and that’s a problem,” said Henson.

    The three main goals of the BLHF are to provide mental health support in urban schools, increase the number of African American mental health professionals, and reduce the prison recidivism rate.

    “We need psychologists in urban schools. These kids are coming to school every day trying to learn and they’re coming from really traumatic situations at home,” Henson said on GMA Day.

    By increasing the number of black mental health professionals in the US, and having a presence in schools, BLHF is hoping to build trust between the black community and mental health professionals.

    “You have to understand the culture,” said Henson. “If you go into a therapist session and you’re looking at the person and you feel like, ‘I can’t say this. What would they think about me if I say this?’ Then we’re not getting any work done.”

    Another barrier to mental health support in the black community is the perception of weakness. “We’re told to pray [mental illness] away. We’re told that it’s a weakness or we’re demonized because we express these feelings that have been bottled up for so long,” said Henson.

    By attacking the stigma with a multi-faceted approach, Henson is hoping to break the silence, and the cycle, of mental illness.

    View the original article at thefix.com