Introduction: Social Media Diagnosis?
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tara M. Pope and I am a practicing limited licensed psychologist. As if I didn’t already have enough schooling, I am currently pressing through the first year of my Clinical Psychology doctorate program. I am super motivated and passionate about the field, so that passion is driving me through this demanding program. But, I can say that I love everything I am learning about myself and psychology.
I am very passionate about psychology and how the mind, body, and spirit rely on each other to thrive. I think this is especially important when it comes to the church community. The stigma surrounding mental health and treatment has been a long-term issue, specifically in communities of color. This stigma may be a result of intergenerational trauma passed along within these communities. Intergenerational trauma is a specific passion of mine when it comes to diagnosing and assessing individuals from Black communities. (Stay tuned for a future blog on this topic) It is my mission to raise awareness and increase access to mental health resources for all people, more specifically, my community, the Black community.
I know from my personal experience, while growing up in the church, mental health has not always been seen as a priority. The increase in prioritizing mental health with spirituality in the church has only recently been promoted. I definitely believe in the power of prayer, but I also believe that “faith without works is dead.” Health clinicians have been put on this Earth to serve all people that need support. The people that grew up in healthy childhood homes to the ones with traumatic pasts, we all deserve to be healthy and whole. Mental health treatment is essential to support the body and spirit for total wellness.
The growth of mental health awareness may be attributed to its increased presence on social media. If you’re on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or other platforms, then I’m sure you have seen the posts on how to tell if you have a specific mental disorder, what to say to people with certain disorders, or tips on how to live with certain mental disorders. I am in support of the promotion of mental health and wellness. However, ’m wondering if the audience reading these posts go further than just relating to what the post says.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good post that reads me for filth! But, when it comes down to using social media to diagnose a mental illness, that’s where I draw the line. I can relate to the feeling you get when you are able to put a label to experiences and issues that you deal with. I can understand the feeling of being understood and being able to belong to a group you can relate to. After becoming aware that there is a problem, the next step is to work to resolve the problem, and that is where therapy comes in.
I can admit that, from experiences in my background, therapy was taught to be seen as taboo, something only needed for “crazy” people. But I am here to tell you that therapy changed my life. I usually was someone that was able to deal with emotional/mental issues on my own. But there was a time in my life when I couldn’t handle it all. I couldn’t get past the challenges that I was experiencing mentally. That moment is when I took the life-changing step to seek out support to help me cope during this time in my life. I wasn’t functioning at my normal capacity. As healthy people we should be able to function at a level that doesn’t disrupt our daily responsibilities, obligations, and relationships. Being aware of that dysfunction isn’t the only step towards wellness. Seek out the help you need to be better, healthier, and happier.
If this sounds like something you or someone you know is going through, I have included some resources to, hopefully, make the search for help a little easier. Don’t hesitate to contact me with more questions. We need each other.
Therapy Resources:
Psychology Today - www.psychologytoday.com
Better Help - www.betterhelp.com
Good Therapy - www.goodtherapy.org
