By Jack Robert Stacey | Editor-in-Chief  
Over the last twelve months, the topic of mental health has remained at the forefront of many discussions in and around the UK. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these discussions often centre on the stigma surrounding mental health alongside the personal challenges that people face when attempting to obtain support for problems like depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (or ÔÇÿOCDÔÇÖ).
As numerous mental health experts have recognised, people are commonly uncomfortable with sharing their experiences with doctors and engaging in the dialogue or so-called ÔÇÿconversationÔÇÖ around mental health in an open and honest way. For some, even talking to loved ones about mental health can be fraught with a deep sense of difficulty due to fears of suffering discrimination and potential backlash as a result.
This has been reflected in research published by MHFA England which asserts that, although 792 million people are thought to be affected by mental-health-related problems around the world, only one in eight are currently receiving treatment. More than this, however, events like ValentineÔÇÖs Day and the upcoming summer holidays can be a particularly challenging time for people with pre-existing mental health problems.
With all of this in mind, it remains critical for us to consider how these barriers can be broken-down to promote the importance of ÔÇÿthe conversationÔÇÖ (or better yet conversations) on mental health. For many, this simply involves removing the stigma associated with discussions on mental health and, instead, encouraging people to speak about their personal difficulties in a more openness and transparency. Alongside this openness, experts
maintain that support networks continue to be key in ensuring that people, especially those who are already suffering from mental health problems, feel comfortable seeking out support.
In many ways, life during the pandemic has acted as a firm reminder of the ever-present impact that mental health has around the world alongside the importance of cultivating a more healthy, open dialogue.
As COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease with the promise of a ÔÇÿnormalÔÇÖ summer, therefore, it is important for us to recognise that the stigma around mental health will is still a key issue on all levels of society. Although the stigma around ÔÇÿthe conversationÔÇÖ remains, recent events have shown that there is room for more progress and understanding in this critical area of day-to-day life.
Dros y deuddeg mis diwethaf, maeÔÇÖr pwnc iechyd meddwl wedi aros ar flaen y gad o lawer o drafodaethau yn y DU ac oÔÇÖi chwmpas. Efallai nad ywÔÇÖn syndod, maeÔÇÖr trafodaethau hyn yn aml yn canolbwyntio ar y stigma ynghylch
iechyd meddwl ochr yn ochr ├óÔÇÖr heriau personol y mae pobl yn eu hwynebu wrth geisio cael cymorth i broblemau fel iselder, pryder, ac anhwylder cymhellol obsesiynol (neu ÔÇÿOCDÔÇÖ).
Gan fod nifer o arbenigwyr iechyd meddwl wedi cydnabod, mae pobl yn gyffredin yn anghyfforddus gyda rhannu eu profiadau gyda meddygon ac yn cymryd rhan yn y ddeialog neu ÔÇÿsgwrsÔÇÖ o gwmpas iechyd meddwl mewn ffordd agored a gonest. I rai, gall hyd yn oed siarad ├ó anwyliaid am iechyd meddwl fod yn drafferthus o anhawster dwfn oherwydd ofnau dioddefaint dioddefaint a photensial adlach o ganlyniad.
Adlewyrchwyd hyn yn ymchwil a gyhoeddwyd gan MHFA England syÔÇÖn honni, er y credir bod 792 miliwn o bobl yn cael eu heffeithio gan broblemau syÔÇÖn gysylltiedig ag iechyd meddwl ledled y byd, dim ond un o bob wyth yn derbyn triniaeth ar hyn o bryd.
Yn fwy na hyn, fodd bynnag, gall digwyddiadau fel Dydd San Ffolant a gwyliauÔÇÖr haf sydd i ddod fod yn amser arbennig o heriol i bobl sydd ├ó phroblemau iechyd meddwl sydd eisoes yn bodoli. Gyda hyn i gyd mewn golwg,
maeÔÇÖn parhau i fod yn hanfodol i ni ystyried sut y gall y rhwystrau hyn gael eu torri i lawr i hyrwyddo pwysigrwydd y ÔÇÿsgwrsÔÇÖ (neu well ond sgyrsiau) ar iechyd meddwl. I lawer, mae hyn yn syml yn golygu cael gwared ar y stigma syÔÇÖn gysylltiedig ├ó thrafodaethau ar iechyd meddwl ac, yn lle hynny, annog pobl i siarad am eu hanawsterau personol mewn mwy agored a thryloywder.
Ochr yn ochr ├óÔÇÖr didwylledd, arbenigwyr yn cynnal bod rhwydweithiau cefnogi yn parhau i fod yn allweddol i sicrhau bod pobl, yn enwedig y rhai sydd eisoes yn dioddef o broblemau iechyd meddwl, yn teimloÔÇÖn gyfforddus yn chwilio am gefnogaeth.
Wrth i gyfyngiadau COVID-19 barhau i leddfu gydaÔÇÖr addewid o haf ÔÇÿnormalÔÇÖ, felly, maeÔÇÖn bwysig inni gydnabod y bydd iechyd meddwl yn dal i fod yn fater allweddol ar bob lefel o gymdeithas. Er bod y stigma ynghylch ÔÇÿy sgwrsÔÇÖ yn parhau, mae digwyddiadau diweddar wedi dangos bod lle i fwy o gynnydd a dealltwriaeth yn y maes hollbwysig hwn o fywyd o ddydd i ddydd.
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