MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY PYRAMID
The Mental Health Literacy Pyramid is a diagram created to help others understand the difference in mental health terms and use the correct language to intervene more effectively and reduce stigma. The pyramid works in a way that it is not a continuum. One state does not necessarily lead to the other, and a person can be at each level of the pyramid at the same time.
THE FOUR STATES (from bottom (more common) to top (less common))
1. No distress, problem, or disorder
Everything's going fine and we're generally enjoying ourselves. We may be spending time with friends, attending school, sleeping, etc.
2. Mental distress
- Refers to the everyday problems we encounter like things that irritate us, things we're worried about, or problems that come our way.
- Examples: upcoming presentation, conflict with a friend, or a flat tire.
- When this happens, our brain sends us a signal called the stress response. It is the basis of resilience and adaptation. Once the problem is solved, the stress response usually goes away because we developed the skills we needed to adapt. This is how we develop resiliency and the capacity to become successful adults.
3. Mental health problems
- Problems in our environment that are too big for us to solve quickly.
- Examples: a parent dying, having a divorce in your family, or moving to a new country without enough resources.
- They can keep us up at night or cause intense emotions that may last for a long period of time.
- They are completely normal and may require support from friends or family, counselling, or time.
4. Mental disorder/illness
- Includes diagnoses such as clinical depression, clinical anxiety, or bipolar disorder
- A perturbation of usual brain functioning where evidence-based medical and therapeutic treatment is needed by specially trained professionals
