IT鈥橲 good to talk, the saying goes, and we are talking about mental health more than ever. This is generally seen as positive: raising awareness breaks down stigma long associated with conditions like anxiety and depression and empowers people to seek help. But we should be asking whether this trend is entirely a force for good 鈥� and confronting the possibility that it might, in some cases, be counterproductive.
The most obvious shift is that language once the preserve of psychotherapists has been co-opted into common parlance. Trauma, boundaries, triggering and so on: 鈥渢herapy speak鈥� is now ubiquitous. This can sometimes help identify problems that might otherwise go unaddressed.
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But some psychologists are concerned about concept creep (see 鈥淲hy being more open about mental health could be making us feel worse鈥�). The misuse of terms whose meanings are being lost might have unintended consequences. It can encourage people to think that all negative thoughts or feelings indicate a mental health condition, for instance. If we see harm everywhere, we may be more likely to feel vulnerable or victimised.
Then there are the many initiatives to tackle mental health problems popping up in schools and workplaces in several countries. Courses in mental health 鈥渇irst aid鈥� training teach people to spot signs of various conditions in others and offer support where required. This seems like a good idea, and the schemes are clearly well-intentioned. But when researchers looked for evidence that one of the most widely adopted courses improves mental health, judged by the extent to which it reduces negative symptoms, they found precious little solid evidence (see 鈥淢ental health 鈥榝irst aid鈥� training has no clear medical benefit鈥�).
This isn鈥檛 to discount the myriad upsides of rising awareness of mental ill health. Many people experience genuine trauma and triggers, and benefit from growing recognition of such problems. Nor is it to minimise the issue: rates of people seeking mental health treatment have been rising for years, particularly in teenagers and young adults. But if we are serious about improving mental health, we shouldn鈥檛 shy away from difficult conversations about what really works and what doesn鈥檛.
