More often than we realise, we go through our day interacting with colleagues, family, and friends, oblivious to the battles they are fighting internally. The truth is that a significant number of people navigate their lives with undiagnosed trauma—a hidden weight that affects not only their behaviour but also their relationships and even their physical health.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year’s theme, “Turn Awareness into Action”, is a call not only for reflection but for meaningful change. Kelly Mc Farlane, clinical and organisational psychologist and president of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Psychologists (TTAP), underscores why this is urgent: “Our unhealed wounds often leak into our behaviour, and even job performance, often without us realising.”
Trauma doesn’t always come wrapped in drama. It can look like the quiet anxiety of someone who grew up in a tense household, now brushing off their stress as simply “how life is”. Mc Farlane explains, “Sometimes our lived experiences might seem normal, or we avoid thinking about traumatic experiences because facing it—and not knowing how to cope with the feelings it evokes—is overwhelming.” That first step—recognising what we carry—is the gateway to healing.
But she cautions against playing psychologist for others. Diagnosing mental issues, she says, should be left to professionals. A mental illness is a diagnosed condition that affects thought patterns, emotions, and behaviour over the long term. A mental health problem, on the other hand, might be temporary but still impactful. The signs aren’t always loud. Co-workers might notice subtle shifts—a meticulous colleague making frequent mistakes, or an engaged team member becoming withdrawn or edgy. These could signal a mental illness, but they might also reflect temporary stress, burnout, or personal challenges.
In a society where work often dominates our time, Mc Farlane emphasises the need for a healthy work-life balance. Stress, she explains, is an inherent part of life, but chronic stress—the kind that never lets up—takes a toll. According to science, chronic stress floods the body with cortisol, a hormone that, over time, weakens the immune system. “It wears down both body and mind and contributes to the onset of serious health issues like hypertension, anxiety, mood disorders, non-communicable diseases, and autoimmune illnesses that further complicate family dynamics. Their bodies are screaming what their minds hadn’t yet processed, or what they’ve been ignoring,” she adds. A quick walk or a moment of silence are simple techniques that can help us offload. “Remember, we can’t pour from an empty cup. Getting help and taking care of yourself allows you to show up as the partner, parent, and person you want to be.”
Still, stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to healing. In Trinidad and Tobago, as in many places, deeply rooted cultural taboos often silence those in pain… [continued – see link below]
Credit – Express Newspaper, (trinidadexpress.com)
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