IN one episode of Designated Survivor, which ran for three seasons, the mental health of the American president, played by Kiefer Sutherland, is called into question after recordings of his therapy sessions are leaked.
Now, Tom Kirkman, the president, is in therapy to deal with his feelings after his wife is killed in a car crash, but it mattered not to Americans as they wondered whether he was fit enough to lead them. In their minds, Kirkman was a crazy man now.
It is just a show, of course. But it hits pretty close to home for those whose mental health has been compromised. It was just on Saturday that we had World Mental Health Day. And we learnt some alarming statistics.
Half a million Malaysians are believed to be suffering from symptoms of depression. Many are suicidal. The problem here — and in fact in many parts of the world, even supposedly enlightened ones like the United States — is that mental health is somewhat of a taboo subject.
Those with such problems are ostracised because they are crazy, looney, mad, gila or some other word to say that he or she is an unfit member of society.
But mental health is a problem that can hit anyone. Loss of a loved one or job, lack of money, the way someone is treated and just about any bad news can trigger depression or some other form of psychological disorder.
In times such as these, when the world is gripped by a pandemic which has claimed more than a million lives and affected billions more, there are bound to be increases in mental health problems. And it is not just the financial aspects of Covid-19 which can trigger things either.
The lack of physical contact during the Movement Control Order, or quarantine, privacy issues, even the lack of outdoor activities. These are all triggers. For healthcare workers, being around Covid-19 patients can be depressing as well.
That and the constant fear that they too could be infected. So what do we do? Who is looking at these issues and the long-term impact they cause?
Do we leave it up to the Health Ministry? Or is this, too, our collective responsibility? The call by Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah for Malaysians to come together and destigmatise mental health issues may be the answer to those questions.
It is not just now, when Covid-19 has caused mental health issues to explode. It is a call for all times.
The ministry has a programme called "Let's TALK Minda Sihat" which invites people from all walks of life to unite and empower themselves with mental health care and battle the stigma of mental illnesses.
It's a programme that should be lauded. But it will ultimately fail if we, as Malaysians, do not play our part.
It is as simple as just ensuring that people with mental health issues do not feel like they are "crazy".
Remove the stigma and people will feel that seeking help is not something out of the ordinary.
For stigma has the unwieldy power that convinces the psychologically disturbed to believe that they are failures.
Stigma prevents them from seeking the help they need. Help is the key to tackling mental health issues.
We all can help. That is all it takes.