Why Is There Stigma About Mental Health For Professional Workers?

Things are changing — and slowly improving — when it comes to the acceptance of mental healthcare. Thanks to education and awareness, the enormous stigma surrounding this topic has begun to ease. However, a paradoxical parallel to this reality exists. Mental health stigma amongst doctors, lawyers, and other professionals appears as prevalent as ever. 

The folks we might most expect to be comfortable with discussing mental well-being are often the ones mired in guilt, shame, and stigma. The results are unfortunately predictable. For example, almost 30 percent of doctors going through their residency will experience a major depressive episode. In the general population for that age range, the incidence rate is about seven percent. Why is this the case?

People in All Jobs Can Feel Shame Around Their Mental Health 

Of course, this is far from just an issue for professional workers. Roughly three-quarters of all employees report struggling with a mental health problem. Even so, only 20 percent of them seek help. This is obviously bad news for their health. Globally, mental illness is the number one cause of worker disability. 

In addition, it’s also a growing problem for businesses. Untreated mental health issues can impact a company’s productivity and profit. No one wins when mental health stigmas reign. The silence around the topic feeds off itself — and yes, this includes professional workers. 

Stigma vs. Reality 

About 20 percent of American experience a mental illness in any given year. Over their lifetime, at least half of Americans will be diagnosed with a psychological disorder. Mental health conditions are common. They are also treatable. Yet, the public perception is that they are rare, reserved for “crazy” people, and cause lifelong problems. 

Being traditionally educated does not make you immune from adhering to these myths. If anything, it can make you feel you have more to lose. Someone labeled a “professional” may hold themselves to unrealistic standards and again, no one wins. 

So, Why Is There a Stigma About Mental Health For Professional Workers?

In many cases, it comes down to perceived expectations. A doctor or lawyer is simply not “allowed” to show weakness. We are conditioned from a young age to view professions like this as the pinnacle. The competition is stiff to even get into the right school. The entire process is a pressure cooker — thus increasing the likelihood of mental distress. 

Once you’re out and practicing, after what you’ve endured, you are not going to let anything derail your success. You must erase anything that can be perceived as a weakness. Who wants a lawyer who is anxious? How can a depressed doctor provide healing? What good is a professor or engineer if they struggle with PTSD or an eating disorder? Thoughts like these are internalized through the long road to credentials. Breaking the pattern may sound ideal but who wants to be the one to risk being ostracized for speaking out?

Addressing Mental Health Stigmas For Professional Workers

Ideally, the change arrives from the top down. Few professionals are willing to be a trailblazer. Therefore, if more workplaces encourage open discussions about mental health, it shifts the onus. Unless and until such a shift occurs, it is vital that professional workers take an active role in tending to their own mental healthcare. If they don’t feel comfortable sharing in public, they must still commit to seeing a fellow professional in private.

The more professionals who take advantage of what psychotherapy has to offer, the more progress there will be in remedying the issue of stigmas. If any of the above resonates with you, it’s probably time we have a conversation. I invite you to reach out to set up a free consultation to learn more about men’s issues.