KUCHING: The ongoing disparity in societal approaches to physical and mental health is cause for concern.
Nur Syakilah Irdina Wirdana, a member of the Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya and an active volunteer of non-govermental organisation (NGO) Empati, said if the world can empathise with physical health, why not do the same with mental health.
“Society has become used to recognising physical illness, we offer comfort, encourage treatment, and attempt to understand what it must be like to walk in their shoes
“But when it comes to mental illness, we do the opposite as we cast doubt, we dismiss, and we stigmatise and then we wonder why mental health issues continue to escalate,” she said.
She said when someone shows early signs of depression, like persistent sadness or loss of interest, they are often told to just cheer up or get over it.
“These dismissals ignore the fact that untreated depression can lead to major depressive disorder, which may result in suicidal thoughts, and untreated anxiety can develop into panic disorder or generalised anxiety disorder,” she said.
She said the same happens with anxiety when someone feels constantly on edge, they are advised to just relax as if it were that simple.
“When we minimise the smallest signs of mental distress, we allow them to fester resulting more people become mentally unstable such as individuals with mild depression spiral into severe depression, those with stress develop chronic anxiety, and people who feel hopeless may develop suicidal ideation.
“Conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, when left unacknowledged, can lead to devastating consequences for individuals and their families, often culminating in hospitalisation or even death,” she said.
Besides, she said mental health issues if left untreated could contribute to physical health issues, from insomnia, fatigue, breathlessness to headaches.
“The reality is that these invisible wounds can be so debilitating that normal functioning becomes impossible.” she said.
According to Nur Syakilah just because the pain is invisible society must not judge the magnitude of someone’s suffering based on their own experiences.
“Unlike physical illness, mental illness often happens quietly, making it even more dangerous and the invisible symptom makes its hard for society to believe,” she said.
She provided examples to illustrate her point by imagining if physical health were stigmatised in the same way as mental health.
“For instance, if someone showing early signs of diabetes such as frequent urination, excessive thirst, or fatigue were dismissed as just overreacting, their condition could progress to severe complications like kidney failure or nerve damage.
“What we need is a shift in perspective. We must start seeing the person behind the illness, not just the illness itself.”
She said that society must take it upon themselves to learn and most importantly to validate the feelings of others, rather than invalidate their experiences.
“The time to empathise, not stigmatise, is now,” she said.
