#BreakTheStigma
#مو_عيب

One day, I received messages from someone I don't know (let's call him X), in which I got news regarding a friend close and dear to me suffering mentally. My friend does not know I received those messages, and thus doesn't know I know about his condition.

The messages included the symptoms my friend suffered, namely: depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and others. The picture I saw of him though was a happy, and cheerful person who could never be anything far from normal.
However I knew I had to redefine "normal".

The contradiction between the pain people with mental health issues suffer and their overall presentation to their families and friends can be shocking at times.

Now, my friend trusts X a lot, and I'm happy to know he found someone he could share his pain with. However, X can't help him much, and thus, contacted me. I know my friend's family and I could contact them, however X does not want me to do so as it might make things worse.

My friend is worried about his family's reaction, and doesn't want to visit a specialist with them because he worries of confidentiality issues; my friend worries of opening up to a specialist, for them then to tell his parents all the details he doesn't want them to know.

Right now, I'm trying to stay in touch with my friend and check up on him every now and then. I am contacting X as well to tell me how my friend is doing mentally (since he only opens up to X).

I know that my friend can't handle treatment costs by himself in the private sector, and given he is a non-Kuwiati, he fears the regulations that we heard of recently, regarding sending away all exapts with registered mental health diseases in the the public sector.

Right now, I'm contacting specialists and I'm trying to get as much details as possible regarding some of the issues my friend is facing to be able to offer help later on.

I don't want to tell my friend I know about his condition though, since I don't want him to lose his trust to X, his only outlet at this point.

Therefore, I told my friend that I noticed he was not fine recently and that I'm worrying about him. Although he denied everything and brushed it off with a laugh, I know he suffers deep down. I reassured him that he is welcome to talk to me if he needs to.

All in all, we see that in addition to the mere stigma associated with mental health issues, there are other problems people face (as if their mental condition was not enough by itself). These include:

- fear of visiting the public sector
- costs of the private sector

- confedentiality issues and sometimes families lack of respect towards the patient's privacy
- stigma regarding the treatment and medications
etc

I know that not all of these are issues in the health care system itself, some include societal views, but it's all under stigma.

Keep in mind that people around you, the closest ones even (God forbids) may be suffering in silence. Don't be tricked by smiles and laughs, and don't brush things off yourself just because they "look" fine.

If a friend sends you a joke about suiciding for example, it might secretly be a crying for help. Please check up on your close ones every now and then.

If you are a person who is suffering, please seek help. You are not suffering alone, many before you faced similar issues and are leading a healthy normal life with treatment.

As a future health care worker, I acknowledge that my role involves establishing and promoting a comfortable environment for patients (especially mental health patients) to seek help when needed; however, all I can do now is sharing this story to #BreakTheStigma
لأن #مو_عيب