The Stigma Dilemma for Baby Boomers
Why Mental Health is so Important for Baby Boomers…and so difficult to achieve.
If you have ever tried to speak to someone in the generational range known as “Baby Boomers” about mental health treatment, yours OR theirs, you may have noticed that they tend to make light of it, or brush it off, or just refuse to talk about it. While this may make communication difficult, it helps to understand the reasons behind this reaction. Simply put, Baby Boomers grew up in a time when mental health issues were either not acknowledged at all, or, if on the extreme end of the spectrum, were the stuff of horror stories.
In the 1940s through the 1960s when Baby Boomers were growing up, there was very little education or understanding of mental health illnesses. When people did speak of mental illness, it was extreme cases of PTSD from WWII or from an accident, or a birth defect. People suffering from these illnesses were usually placed in an asylum to receive treatment, or simply to be hidden away. Baby Boomers were expected to be self-sufficient and tough. Admission of a personal mental health problem was seen as an emotional or moral failure and was to be avoided as far as possible. In fact, many mental health problems had not even been understood or named yet and derogatory terms were used in general reference to any mental disorder.
Faced with such a stigma around mental illness, many Baby Boomers with mental, behavioral, or intellectual disabilities often went undiagnosed and untreated. Baby Boomers on the autism spectrum, with dyslexia, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (adhd) and other conditions probably faced marginalization, discrimination, bullying, and often abuse, especially as children. Individuals of this generation may have gone their entire lives without a diagnosis of a common problem that would have helped them understand and get treatment for themselves or their loved ones. Because of this, many Baby Boomers are skeptical about mental health treatment, and find it difficult to understand how younger generations talk so freely about being “anxious” or “depressed”.
In addition, right now most Baby Boomers are going through major life changes as they age. Retirement, grief from loss of loved ones such as parents, friends, spouses and siblings, and in some cases loss of mobility, or increase of medications can trigger many mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety. Stigma and fear ingrained from an early age can make discussion of or accommodations for mental health care and age-related disabilities, such as dementia, unbearable for some Boomers.
When approaching your loved ones about the possibilities of therapy, it’s best to go prepared. Be aware of the resources available nearby, so that you are ready with options if they agree to give it a try. Begin the conversation with assurances that you understand and are grateful for all they have done for you, and that you respect and love them no matter what. Be supportive and empathetic. Listen to what they have to say, and try to understand their perspective. Don’t argue with them, or brush aside their feelings. You might explain that you have noticed some issue/s that have perhaps been keeping them from living their life to the fullest, and that you just want them to be happy. Maybe they could try talking to a professional therapist a couple of times, just to see how it feels.
Remember, this can be a stressful situation for everyone! Be patient and kind to yourself and your loved ones. You can’t force therapy on someone who refuses to go. You can only love them, and keep trying to convince them that it can’t hurt to try, and there is no stigma in needing to talk to someone.