The Invisible Weight: What World Mental Health Day Reminds Us To Unlearn

Every year, World Mental Health Day arrives with green ribbons, heartfelt posts, and reminders to “check in on your loved ones.” But beyond the slogans and hashtags lies a deeper invitation one that asks us not just to learn, but to unlearn.

Unlearn what we’ve been told strength looks like.

Unlearn the silence that wraps around sadness.

Unlearn the idea that mental health is something to fix quietly, behind closed doors.

Because the truth is, for many, mental health isn’t always visible. It doesn’t always look like tears or breakdowns. Often, it hides behind smiles, productivity, and polite replies of “I’m fine.” The invisible weight people carry - the anxiety, the fatigue, the self-doubt, often goes unseen, yet it shapes lives in profound ways.

The Culture of Constant Coping

We live in a world that celebrates resilience but misunderstands it. Being “strong” has been equated with never faltering, never asking for help, and keeping it all together. Yet psychologists remind us that true resilience isn’t about pushing through at all costs, it’s about knowing when to rest, when to reach out, and when to be gentle with ourselves.

Many of us grew up hearing “don’t cry,” “stay positive,” or “others have it worse.” While meant to comfort, these phrases subtly teach us to dismiss our emotions. Over time, this creates emotional disconnection a sense that our feelings are inconvenient or weak.

World Mental Health Day invites us to question that conditioning. It’s a day to unlearn the reflex to minimize pain and instead, learn the courage of emotional honesty.

The Psychology of Unlearning

Unlearning is not easy, it means confronting beliefs that have kept us safe for years. From a psychological perspective, our coping mechanisms whether perfectionism, overworking, or emotional withdrawal often began as forms of protection. They helped us feel in control when things felt uncertain.

But as life evolves, those same habits can become burdens. The brain thrives on patterns, even unhealthy ones, because they feel familiar. This is why self-awareness is such a powerful first step in healing, it allows us to see which behaviors once served us but no longer do.

For instance, the person who avoids vulnerability might discover that their guardedness stems from childhood environments where emotional expression was met with criticism. Unlearning here doesn’t mean blaming the past it means compassionately understanding it and choosing a new way forward.

What the Invisible Weight Teaches Us

If there’s one thing mental health struggles teach us, it’s that being human is not a linear process. Healing doesn’t follow a checklist. Some days, progress looks like attending therapy; other days, it’s just managing to get out of bed and breathe.

Psychologically, the invisible weight often comes from cognitive dissonance i.e. the gap between how we feel and how we think we “should” feel. Social media amplifies this, rewarding smiles and success stories while rarely showing the messy middle. Over time, this creates internal conflict such that people start believing their emotions are out of place.

But the invisible weight also reminds us of something beautiful: our shared vulnerability. Everyone, at some point, carries unseen struggles. Recognizing that doesn’t weaken our spirit, it connects us more deeply to one another.

Learning the Language of Compassion

To truly honor World Mental Health Day, we must move beyond awareness and into action through empathy. Ask real questions like “How are you, really?” Listen without rushing to fix. Validate feelings, even when they’re uncomfortable. And most importantly, extend the same compassion inward. It’s time to unlearn the voice that says you must earn rest, that healing must look tidy, that you must always be okay.

Because mental health is not a battle to be won, it’s a relationship to be nurtured. And like any relationship, it thrives on patience, gentleness, and understanding.

So, as the world paints itself green this World Mental Health Day, let’s remember that awareness is just the beginning. What truly transforms us is unlearning - the shedding of silence, stigma, and self-judgment so we can finally carry our invisible weights with a little more lightness and a lot more love.

Written By : R. Sagarikaa, Editorial Head