This is a series developed by our High School Active Minds Club, which will regularly publish mental health myths to grow awareness in our community. 

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We all know a person who seems as if  their life is perfect (maybe they have straight As, lots of friends, or a healthy relationship); so when they come out about having mental health issues, it’s easy to think that it’s not as serious as it really is. We didn’t know we’ve been conditioned to think of mental health struggles with visible signs of distress, like withdrawal from social situations and poor hygiene. But the reality is that this creates a narrow, harmful definition of how mental health issues manifest. Many people, especially those dealing with perfectionism, anxiety, or depression, often work incredibly hard to maintain a facade of success because we as a society tend to praise people who “have it together”. This is particularly harmful because it restricts them from seeking help and support

In order to challenge these harmful misconceptions and stereotypes, we need to expand our understanding of what mental health struggles really look like. Mental health is not based on appearance or achievement, and in the end, we should be creating spaces where people feel safe to show that it’s okay not to be okay sometimes. Breaking the stereotype means believing people when they say they’re struggling, regardless of what their life looks like from the outside, and reminding them that it’s always valid and encouraged to ask for help.