Mental health refers to our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps us handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Mental illness is a continuous and pressing issue that society struggles to accept.

The month of May is specifically dedicated to raising awareness on mental health. We need to break the stigma that has been associated with it for generations. We all need to contribute, at an individual and community level, and accept people suffering from mental health problems.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health problems. Many are struggling with the abrupt change in their daily routines and remaining indoors, especially since they might be cut off from those they love and care for.

Mental health disorders carry a stigma. Many dismiss loneliness, depression and other mental issues as an ‘invention of the mind’ and that ‘because we can’t see it, it means it doesn’t really exist’.

Having a mental health problem does not make you ‘different’ or ‘unaccepted’. Just like any person suffering from diabetes or high blood pressure can carry on with their day-to-day activities, a person with a mental-health illness such as anxiety or depression can do so too.

We all must learn to accept, empathise and help those suffering from a spectrum of mental health issues. We need to be aware they do not choose how they feel.

Many are those who suffer from panic attacks, anxiety and depression stemming from years of bullying, abuse and other traumatic experiences. People tend to react to these situations and, even though with good intentions, use phrases that make the sufferers feel like it’s their fault and that they are responsible for creating their own problems. So, when one uses phrases like: “It’s all in your head” and “You need to get over it”, one is not really helping but is making things worse.

Just like an athlete would feel limited to train as a result of a broken bone or torn ligament, people with mental health problems can find it difficult to focus, study and carry on with their life.

We all must learn to accept, empathise and help those suffering from a spectrum of mental health issues

One might ask: “How can we help if we do not know what is going on in their minds?”

The first step would be to let the person know you are there for them. Sometimes, even listening to what the person is going through works wonders. But here are a few tips that we can adopt to help those struggling with mental health issues:

• Approach the person in a quiet and safe environment: it is important to tell them that you care about them and that you are there to listen to them as they tell you what they are feeling;

• Listen non-judgementally and offer support;

• Express concern and give advice: when listening to a person’s problems it is important not to narrate stories from your own past and depict yourself as the person who suffers. Focus on them, their feelings and the next steps they can take to overcome it;

• Crucially, it is important not to blame the person for the way he or she is feeling. We are all entitled to our own emotions and state of being. The best action you can take is to show the person that you accept him or her for who he or she is and offer your unconditional support.

I fully understand the importance of mental health and have always deemed it to be essential for our well-being. Serving as a mental health-peer-education coordinator for the Malta Medical Students Association (MMSA), this past year has made me even more aware of the increase in cases of people suffering from mental health. I have given numerous talks to children in schools all over Malta, acknowledging the pressures that many experience due to their studies as well as other personal matters.

We should not take how we feel lightly. Mental health is very important and we need to take care of ourselves as well as those around us. More importantly, we need to do something about it if we do not feel well and seek help from family, friends and professionals.

Adrienne Gatt is a second-year medical student at the University of Malta.