I got this article from Johns Hopkins Health alerts (you can sign up for free @ johnshopkinshealthalerts.com). As much as times have changed, there is still a stigma attached to seeking mental health treatment, but it is fading. Men and older folks in general are more resistant. But when you or your partner are dealing with a serious illness, you need all the help you can get, pharmaceuticals included.
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Finding the Courage To Seek Help for Depression or Anxiety
Are you feeling down, sad, or anxious? For many people the biggest obstacle to recovery is the perceived stigma of appearing weak or vulnerable and needing professional help. Johns Hopkins discusses this common concern and offers advice.
Being clinically depressed or anxious is not a sign of mental weakness. Nor is it a normal part of aging or an inevitable consequence of having other health problems such as heart disease or diabetes. Rather, depression and anxiety are true medical illnesses, caused by biological changes in the brain. The good news is that both conditions can be treated effectively by a health professional, whether it be your family doctor, a therapist, or a psychiatrist.
For many people, however, the biggest obstacle to recovery from depression or anxiety is convincing themselves to seek help in the first place. Many people worry that they will be viewed as weak, vulnerable, abnormal, or troubled if they admit to depression or anxiety or to seeing a mental health professional. This is especially true for those of us who grew up in the era before people talked openly about mood disorders, when few medications were available to treat anxiety and depression