Are grandmothers and hairdressers the key to solving the global mental health crisis?
On the importance of community and showing up for each other
Leave it to grandmothers to solve the global mental health crisis.
In Zimbabwe, a project that involves training grandmothers in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) — a type of talk therapy that helps people recognize and address unhelpful and negative thought patterns — has been successful in improving the area’s mental health.
And it’s not the only community-led project that has shown success in addressing mental illness, according to this article from Positive News. In Yemen, there’s a free, daily sports club that brings men together and boosts their mental health and in Guatemala, there are women’s circles led by Indigenous women focused on empowering people and improving their wellbeing. The Ivory Coast has a similar program, led by hairdressers who are trained to recognize the symptoms of mental illness and talk to customers to improve their mental wellbeing.
In one way, these programs are striking — “ordinary” people helping and providing support to others in a way that greatly improves their mental health. In another way, they reaffirm a somewhat obvious truth: the importance of community when it comes to tackling the global mental health crisis.
As we know, mental health care is very inaccessible. Most places do not offer affordable care, and even in those that do, like the UK — where the government spends about 13 billion annually on mental health services, there is no shortage of psychiatrists and psychologists, and medication is available for free via the NHS — as many as 1 in 6 adults experience symptoms of mental health conditions, according to Positive News.
Does that mean that formalized mental health care is useless? Of course not. Still, it’s helpful to know that expensive care isn’t the end all be all to addressing worldwide struggles with mental health. Something as simple as being involved in a community of people that make you feel seen and heard can drastically improve mental health outcomes.
The fight for third spaces
You may have seen videos on social media of people lamenting about the lack of third spaces in the United States.
Third spaces are places outside of the workplace or the home where people can connect with others, including churches, gyms, schools, cafes, libraries, parks, theaters, etc. The term was coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his book “The Great Place,” which argued that these spaces are essential for community building.
These videos often talk about how difficult it can be to meet people, especially given many of our interactions take place online.
To be sure, building community and forging new friendships as an adult can be difficult. When we were kids, we had built-in communities in school and activities, but now it takes more effort and planning. It’s easy to get stuck in a routine. With all the many demands placed on our time, community building doesn’t seem as urgent, the little free time we have we spend with the people we’ve already cultivated relationships with or recuperating. It’s understandable; who has the energy to go to third places (or even create a third place if one doesn’t already exist)?
But people are still hungry for connection, which is why apps like Bumble BFF have grown in popularity.
Community is worth the effort
Community building is essential. It’s not always a seamless process and sometimes involves putting yourself out there in a way that might be uncomfortable, but it is every bit worth it.
Speaking from my own experience, my life grew exponentially better when I started getting rooted in my local community. In New York, where I live, there’s always so much going on, and given people are scattered all across the city, I can easily find myself not staying in my local neighborhood for extended periods of time.
But over the past year and a half, I’ve really become anchored in the place I live. My gym, favorite coffee shop, and writing group are all here and they’ve all become important parts of my life.
Taking classes with the same people and complaining about how hard they are has evolved into us actually being invested in each other’s lives. Getting my coffee from my favorite sister-barista duo and chatting about reality TV always puts me in a good mood. And writing alongside a group of supportive women who get the struggle of trying to finish a project has helped me grow as a writer and enabled me to tap into my creative life. These connections not only made me feel like I’m a part of something so much bigger than myself, but have made my life richer. They have reminded me that I’m surrounded by amazing people and that we are all co-creating this experience of life together.
I’m lucky to live in a place where there are so many opportunities to connect with people; I know it can be more difficult for people in other areas.
But if there’s not already an established community in your area that speaks to your interests, then I encourage you to create one. Start that anime group, create that book club, ask a few acquaintances that you want to get to know better to come over to yours for a meal. Reach out to those friends you haven’t spoken to in a while. Put yourself out there.
Don’t be afraid to show up to strike up conversation or even go to an event alone. Worst case scenario: people think you’re weird. Ok, and? They’re not your people. (Also having the confidence to put yourself out there actually makes you cooler than them).
I’d love to see more people get trained in CBT like these grandmothers in Zimbabwe or hair dressers in The Ivory Coast. But I’d also like us to collectively remember that great friendships and community don’t just happen. We have to invest in them. We have to do our part and show up.
So if this is an area of life that you’ve let fall to the back burner, revive it.
We all have a role to play in building community and when we do show up fully with that intent to connect, we can actually experience collective healing.