Sep 9, 2023 By Gary Stout 5 min read

With the advantage of all-knowing artificial intelligence at our fingertips, and with life so full of uncertainty, it is common to ask the internet gods, “Am I normal?” We want to check Google about whether our behavior, our bodies, and our deepest emotions are acceptable for our age, circumstances, and station in life.

Thankfully, studies in cognitive science have concluded that the world is not neatly divided into the healthy and unhealthy. Both physical and psychological characteristics exist along a continuum. We are all weird in some respect, and that is normal. A person with anxiety may be better prepared for unforeseen circumstances and may demonstrate improved memory. A risk-taker is subject to physical mishaps but is more likely to take his or her profession in new and exciting directions. Some individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism have used these conditions to great advantage.

The difficult task is identifying the difference between being uniquely human and becoming unhealthy. Physical illness deals with the structural or functional integrity of the body. It is easier for a trained professional to diagnose and treat physical as opposed to mental illness.

Mental health is complicated by the many forms it takes. There is an entire industry that focuses on self-improvement. Examples include improving communication skills, sleep routines, and drinking habits. A second category centers on more serious signs of deteriorating mental health, such as anger management, chronic insomnia, and heavy drinking. Lastly, there is clinical mental illness that requires comprehensive treatment with therapy, medication, and, in its worst manifestations, hospitalization.

Mental health has come into focus in recent years, augmented by the stress of the pandemic. The subject is no longer avoided in polite conversation. Screening for symptoms of mental health problems has skyrocketed in both schools and in physician’s offices. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal highlights how far we have come. The article points out that in a recent National Center for Health survey, 27% of respondents reported symptoms of an anxiety disorder compared with just 8% in 2019.

One paragraph from the WSJ story offers an illustration: “A search for ‘anxiety relief’ on Google pulls up links for supplements in the form of pills, patches, gummies, and mouth sprays. There are vibrating devices that hang around your neck and weighted stuffed animals, bead-filled stress balls, and coloring books that claim to bring calm. Ads for online talk therapy apps pop up on social media sites.”

This explosion in mental health remedies is very different from where we were at the beginning of the 20th century. Open discussions on self-improvement and anxiety then were rare. More serious cases of mental illness were associated with punishment for moral shortcomings and lack of willpower. Patients received little empathy. Inhumane confinement was still common. The first outpatient mental health clinic in the United States was not opened until 1908.

Women’s mental health was often associated with one diagnosis – hysteria. It was a catchall medical judgment for anxiety, fainting, nervousness, insomnia, and inappropriate behavior. It was often treated with the opiate derivative, laudanum, which came with its own set of problems. The American Psychiatric Association did not drop the term “hysteria” until the 1950s.

Bringing mental health out of the shadows and into the mainstream has been accelerated by events in both professional sports and politics. Until recently, people in these realms considered discussions on their mental health off-limits. Both professions required an image of emotional toughness. To do otherwise left them open to attack from the media, the public, and their peers.

Recent instances of high-profile athletes prioritizing their mental health have triggered an essential shift in the narrative of mental health in sports. In May 2021, tennis star Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open, citing concerns for her mental health. At first, there were detractors, but in short order, other major sports figures with similar stories rushed to her defense. When gymnast Simone Biles sat out several events at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she sparked a global discussion on sports and mental health. In 2023, almost all professional sports openly encourage mental health treatment and support networks.

The “blood sport” of national politics has also undergone a sea change when it comes to mental health. In 1972, Missouri Sen. Thomas Eagleton was briefly the Democratic vice presidential nominee on the ticket led by George McGovern. He suffered from bouts of depression in the 1960s, which were kept secret from the public. When they were revealed, Eagleton was forced to quit the race. The stigma of mental illness was impossible to overcome.

Contrast the Eagleton fiasco with the recent saga of John Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s junior senator. Fetterman suffered a stroke during his campaign and experienced severe depression following his election to the Senate, which required a lengthy hospitalization.

This August, Fetterman sat down with Time magazine and gave a blow-by-blow account of his illness and recovery. He has received enthusiastic support from the public and from his fellow senators. Fetterman believes the transparency is good for him and that his voice “will help pull others out of the darkness.”

Our journey through life is complicated by conditions both physical and mental. These unexpected developments often send us down a challenging and more rewarding path. In the words of Maya Angelou, “If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”

Gary Stout is a Washington attorney.