For generations, society has viewed mental health as a stigmatized set of conditions, seen it as secondary to physical health. Often, it was regarded as something anyone can snap out of within a short period. While this is relative to different individuals, the decline of people’s mental health has been connected to the post-pandemic world, causing struggles with depression, anxiety, and trauma (Bawden, 2022).
Now, more than ever, people must stay open-minded and aware of their mental, emotional, and psychological health, addressing concerns with the help of trained professionals and educational platforms.
Why Mental Health Care Can No Longer Be Ignored
Untreated mental health has been seen as a major barrier that not just affects people in the workplace but also families, schools, and communities, all of which have crippling effects in everyday lives.
Relationships suffer due to miscommunications, isolation, and emotional instability, which have also resulted in increased divorce rates and friendships falling apart (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 2025). Poor mental health has also taken its toll on how defensive individuals might be in order not to be vulnerable to their partner.
It also contributes to a decline in physical health, causing stress, high blood pressure, and weakened immunity (Alotiby, 2024). When this happens, there’s an unwillingness to exercise, a drive to feed on junk rather than healthy foods, which can further result in chronic illnesses. Overall, these signs advance from personal problems to societal chaos, causing increased homelessness, addiction, and crime rates when ignored.
How Mental Health Professionals Bridge the Gap to Help Victims
We’ve looked at how ignoring mental health problems can be a major diminishing factor in society. However, there have been processes laid out by professionals to help curb these problems in our everyday lives.
Digital mental health tools: Medical professionals are at the forefront of researching tools and methods that could be of help to people struggling with their mental health, and these range from video therapy sessions, mood-tracking apps, and AI chatbots, which open up new pathways to support.
While these tools are not replacements for deep human connections, they are rather supplements that make one-on-one conversations possible, especially for people in remote locations and busy schedules. There have also been regulations and clinically backed assessments to make sure people are vulnerable and their privacy is not overly intruded upon.
Online PMHNP programs: Aside from mental health tools, health care systems and institutions are enlightening people on mental health support through training at the undergraduate and graduate levels, preparing the next generation of nurses and health professionals for specialized roles in psychiatric care.
These online PMHNP program options also cover advanced coursework accredited by regulatory bodies and clinical placements for individuals looking to further their passion for those with mental health needs.
Prioritizing Mental Health Within Society
With these measures already in place, it is only a matter of time before the truth about mental health begins to sink in, mental health conversations are prioritized, and government bodies invest in wellness centers.
There would also be a massive reduction among teens, young adults, and marginalized groups, ensuring that the stigma attached, cultural misunderstanding, and system mistrust are at the lowest level.
Final Thoughts
Mental health is just as important as physical health, and as the world progresses, there’s a constant need for awareness and professional training that changes people’s mindsets on the downside of keeping things to themselves and not being vulnerable to help. Likewise, those keen on making mental healthcare a career path should understand the importance of creating a system where compassion towards victims is a priority.
Sources
- Alotiby, A. (2024). Immunology of Stress: A Review Article. PMC, 11546738. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11546738/
- Bawden, T. (2022, April 22). Depression and anxiety levels soared in the pandemic and could stay high for years, experts say. The I Paper. https://inews.co.uk/news/depression-anxiety-covid-pandemic-lockdown-1589119
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025, March 17). FastStats – Marriage and Divorce. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/marriage-divorce.htm
- Rockhurst University. (n.d.). Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Online. Retrieved from https://onlinedegrees.rockhurst.edu/programs/online-pmhnp-degree