50 Psychology Memes That Perfectly Capture How The Human Mind Works

Mental health issues are very pervasive. According to the World Health Organization, more than a billion people live with mental health disorders worldwide. Not only does this have a huge negative impact on people’s personal lives, but it affects the global economy, too. Globally, an estimated $1 trillion is lost each year due to a loss in productivity.

“Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression are highly prevalent in all countries and communities, affecting people of all ages and income levels. They represent the second biggest reason for long-term disability, contributing to loss of healthy life. They drive up health-care costs for affected people and families while inflicting substantial economic losses on a global scale,” the WHO notes.

The National Institute of Mental Health points out that in the United States alone, around a fifth of American adults live with a mental illness. These conditions can range from mild to moderate to severe.

According to NIMH, in 2022, just over half of all American adults with any mental illness received treatment.

Meanwhile, the ADAA reports that Generalized Anxiety Disorder affects 3.1% of the American adult population, but only under half of those affected (43.2%) are receiving treatment.

Meanwhile, Panic Disorder affects 2.7% American adults, Social Anxiety Disorder affects 7.1%, specific phobias affect 9.1% of the adult population, post-traumatic stress disorder impacts 3.6% of American adults, and obsessive-compulsive disorder affects 1.2%.

During an earlier interview, one psychologist told Bored Panda that mental health professionals should try to create a safe environment for their clients. The latter, meanwhile, should get familiar with the rules, boundaries, and confidentiality regulations related to their therapy sessions.

“They [the clients] should be encouraged to ask questions and give suggestions on how the process could be adjusted. I often stress to my clients that if there’s a need, we can at any time change our agreements. I encourage them to share their needs and talk about their feelings that arise from all of this.”

According to the psychologist, by attending therapy sessions, some clients feel lost or as though they’ve lost control. However, this isn’t quite true.

They need to understand that the therapy process, in large part, depends on them. Meanwhile, the psychologist is just there as an assistant who “helps in their journey for personal change.”

The psychologist explained to Bored Panda that it’s vital for clients to understand that there’s no such thing as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ emotions. Therapy is meant to create a safe, comfortable space for a person to freely experience and understand their emotions.

That being said, it’s impossible to ‘click’ with every client. And so, clients need to understand that if they can’t share their personal experiences with one professional, it’s vital to look for someone else they feel more comfortable around.