Time to shed “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” stereotypes
SAMHC Weekly Blogger:
Ali Clarke
ABC Breakfast Radio Host
I thought I understood mental health and what it is all about. I thought I knew the effects and challenges those with mental ill-health and their family and friends faced. I thought there would be some kind of warning, some moment that would grab your attention and say, ‘Hey – there are some issues here… time to start asking some questions and talking to people’.
What a dolt!
When a family member went through a serious episode of mental ill-health, all my presumptions were turned on their head.
There was no warning.
There was no how-to-fix guide.
There has been no moment where we can declare everyone better.
And that’s because we need to stop thinking about mental health as something that only affects those who have symptoms of illness.
Everyone has their mental health and it is something to be aware of, to be cared for and to be spoken about.
We need to shed the stereotypes of Jack Nicholson’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and realise that everyone around us – our family and friends, our workmates, the person angrily beeping the car horn – are all a product of their mental health.
Just as you wouldn’t apologise to someone for heading to hospital and having a broken arm set, or taking time off for the flu, we also shouldn’t feel like we need to say sorry for taking time to look after our mental health and take care of ourselves.
That, of course, will mean different things to different people, and, in an increasingly standardised acute-centric health system it’s a huge challenge for us to shift the focus to preventative wellbeing.
Look I am in no means an expert in mental health and there are many, many people imminently more qualified and educated in this area than me, but in my experience… and it is mine alone… I have found that openness and conversation has helped us through.
It continues to help us through. So if anything at all, I can only hope that after reading this, someone might ask their loved one how they are doing and let them know you are here for them.
I can only hope that after reading this, someone might ask their loved one how they are doing and let them know you are here for them.
By Ali Clarke
ABC Breakfast Radio Host
SAMHC Special Weekly Bloggers
