Mental health, culture and values

Generally refers to the ideas, practices and social behaviours of a particular people or society.

IT is often exhibited through arts and crafts, music, comedy and drama. Culture changes over time. Increased global migration is making the world appear it is getting smaller and smaller.

Thus, whatever we called culture 10 to 15 years ago will have been diluted or changed by now.

Some foreign cultural elements are brought in by our friends and family members in the diaspora.

Some of the foreign cultural traits are good whilst others are bad.

In terms of culture, whatever is working now may not work in five years.

Technological advances and new norms, coupled with the effects of Covid-19 and the rising mental health issues, are changing our cultural norms and values.

We have seen a rise in substance misuse, suicides and homicides.

Sex work, and gay and lesbianism are now being accepted in modern societies.

But 25 years ago, such things were considered taboo and gross deviations from what was considered normal at the time.

Those who behaved in this way were seen as mental patients and criminals.

Some groups want the age of consent to be lowered to 12. They are also pushing for the granting of sex education/advice and contraceptives to children without parental consent.

We also know that privacy Bills are being discussed in most developed societies as terrorism poses a threat to many nations.

All these things were not of concern some few years back.

Culture changes, becoming intertwined in what we begin to value as the new habits that sustain our livelihoods.

This proves that culture is not cast in stone.

Cultural norms are not rigid.

Our parents and grandparents’ cultures applied to them and are certainly no longer ours. While there may be some elements of these cultures that we would like to hold on to, there are also those that we surely need to let go of.

The dilemma comes when we get stuck in what worked then and we try to “copy and paste” them so that we apply them now. We often do this thinking that it is a way of honouring our predecessors.

We fail to realise how life has changed and the need to move on from whatever attachments we may have created with that past.

Such attachment issues occur due to problematic childhood orientation.

There are unresolved losses or traumas that are strongly associated with our emotional responses that make it difficult for us to progress.

We often think that letting go of some cultural traits means we are no longer caring.

Not everyone stays in our lives for a lifetime. There are certain things we cannot do while we are still dependent on others.

We can only do those things once we are independent.

That is how life evolves. As such, cultures and values also evolve.

We must let go of old traditions in order to receive new elevations. If struggling to move on from the past hurts you, then seek help from psychotherapists or psychologists who can provide guidance.

This is part of our life’s journey.