September is coming to a close and October is about to begin as we write this blog post. That means Halloween is just weeks away. Time to start thinking about costumes and candy and scary movies so that we are ready when the big night is upon us.
One of the central aspects of many Halloween costumes is a mask. Whether homemade or store-bought, masks are intended to disguise your identity—or at the very least give the suggestion that you are someone else for a night. Some masks are frightful and others are funny, and they all help folks get into the spirit of the spookiest night of the year.
When it comes to your mental health, however, metaphorical masks are not fun at all. In fact, they can be detrimental—especially if they keep you from pursuing treatment. Let’s take a look at why some people try to mask their mental health challenges and then consider better approaches to the issue.
Some Reasons People Try to Mask Mental Health Disorders
Sometimes a person struggling with a mental health disorder tries to keep that struggle under wraps, hiding it from others—and sometimes even trying to convince themselves that they do not actually have a problem.
The reason for doing this varies from person to person, but some common reasons include:
- Feeling a sense of embarrassment or shame
- Worrying about their reputation at work or in other communities
- Trying not to disappoint their family or friends (or themselves)
- Feeling fearful about what treatment might entail
- Hoping to work out the issue on their own
What all of those reasons have in common is that they tend to arise due to the ongoing stigma that surrounds mental health issues in our society. It is still sadly the case that many people see mental health difficulties as failures of character, faith, or morality. Other folks cannot separate real-life mental health disorders from media-driven portrayals of “craziness.”
In any event, the fact that so many people still need to learn that mental health disorders are common, treatable, and nothing to be ashamed of can be problematic for a person who is suffering. When a person feels as though they simply must keep their mental health challenges to themselves, the outcomes are seldom positive.
The Mask Can Seldom Be Maintained
If you are of a certain age, you may remember Halloween costumes that came with a plastic mask that covered your entire face and was held on by a strip of rubber stapled into the sides. All too often, the band would snap or work loose from the staples, and you either had to hold it to your face or give up on it entirely. To be fair, having the mask fall apart could be something of a blessing given how hot they were to wear and how small the air holes were.
Trying to maintain a mask of normality so that you can hide a mental health challenge is a lot like wearing one of those old masks. The metaphorical mask is ill-fitting, unhelpful, and likely to fail. The longer you try to maintain it, however, the more likely it is that your situation and mental health will worsen. When the mask fails, you may be in the midst of a true crisis.
A far better approach to addressing a mental health disorder is to seek out treatment. Your doctor can accurately diagnose the disorder if you commit to being honest with them. They can also prescribe medications that can help and manage your care as you work together to find the medicines that work best for you. Meanwhile, your therapist or counselor can determine what sort of therapy might serve you best.
As a rule, a combination of medication and therapy is the most effective approach to addressing the symptoms of a mental health disorder. That approach certainly beats trying to hide behind a mask and hoping that the problem will go away on its own.
Getting the Help You Need Should Not Be Scary
When Halloween comes around, experiencing a little bit of playful fear can be fun. But it is no fun at all if a sense of fear is keeping you from seeking out treatment for a mental health disorder. Indeed, none of the reasons we listed above for avoiding treatment are fun—or helpful.
At Peak View Behavioral Health, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, we provide evidence-based, personalized treatment for a range of mental health disorders. These include the various kinds of depression, bipolar disorder, and more. We offer inpatient and outpatient care so that you can find the approach that works best for you. We can also address a substance use disorder or a dual diagnosis involving a substance use disorder in addition to a mental health challenge.
Throughout the treatment process, you can count on our highly trained, experienced staff to treat (but never trick) you with kindness, respect, and empathy. Our goal is always to help the individuals we serve renew a sense of balance in their lives so that they are able to embrace hope for their future.
Do not stay hidden behind a mask, hoping no one will notice you are struggling. Instead, let us help you reclaim your life.
