We need to carry burden together
SHOCKING MENTAL HEALTH WEEK POLL
THE social pressure to look and feel perfect can be overwhelming – and mental health suffers because of it.
One of the biggest areas for concern is body image. It can feel like there is no escape from commercial and social media ideals of our appearance.
Shocking statistics suggest one in five adults are ashamed of how they look.
One in seven experienced suicidal thoughts because of it.
Meanwhile, mental health services have been allowed to slip from the priority position they should occupy.
The Scottish Government, after considerable pressure, is taking steps to put it right. This is Mental Health Awareness Week – another chance to take a long, hard look at the very real burdens people carry with them.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, in today’s Record, reflects on how modern society is influencing how we feel.
Her description of the stress associated with social media, the desire to be “liked” online, will resonate.
Young people, especially, are growing up with round-the-clock digital media – effectively putting themselves in the public eye. Something is wrong when peer pressure or casual remarks online can knock self-esteem and affect mental health.
Social media giants need to stop adding to the problem and start taking it seriously. At the same time, those of us who know someone struggling must be there to offer support.
This isn’t a battle any one of us can fight on our own. Mental health is a shared responsibility.