People share the worst responses they've had to their mental health problems

With people becoming more informed about mental health and the stigma that surrounds it, it's evident that society has undergone a shift in recent years. However, we still have a way to go. Statistically, one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives, but many people's symptoms worsen on account of the discrimination they face - from society, but also from their family, friends and employers.

In order to raise awareness about the prevalence of such stigma, journalist Hattie Gladwell took to Twitter to ask her followers to share all the insensitive things that people have said to them about their mental illness, and the response she got was overwhelming.

"Quote this tweet with the most unhelpful/insensitive thing someone has said to you about your mental illness," she began. "I'll start: One person told me I didn’t need medication, I just needed to be more motivated to cope with my mental health."

Judging by the replies that Hattie's tweet received, it's apparent that she's not the only person who has had her mental health issues dismissed or minimised.

"I have anxiety and at its most severe I saw a therapist who said to me 'You just worry too much'. Suffice to say, I never saw her again," one social media user revealed, while another had a similar story, writing: "'Everyone has a stressful job, I have a stressful job, what makes you think yours should be treated as better than everyone else?' -  from a therapist after my suicide attempt. I asked if he really thought that was helpful, 'I’m not here to help you, you need to help yourself.'"

"A colleague was given a formal warning for crying at her desk, as it 'affected team morale,'" a third individual disclosed.

Unfortunately, many of the responses followed a similar thread:

These replies all reiterate a very important point: just because you can't see mental illness, doesn't mean that it isn't a very real impediment, which can affect people from all walks of life.