An expert warned Friday that silence and societal indifference are costing lives, as he called for Barbadians to confront the stigma surrounding mental health.Eddie Smith, senior counsellor and mental health nurse at the Centre for Counselling Addiction Support Alternatives (CASA), told Barbados TODAY on Friday that the country must move towards a culture in which mental health is discussed openly and compassionately, particularly within the workplace.“We’re not opening up yet at all,” Smith said at CASA’s Westbury Road headquarters. “Barbadian society is still very closed when it comes to these issues. People prefer to try and manage their problems quietly and tell others to ‘mind their own business.’ But when it comes to mental health, that approach is not working—people are suffering in silence until it reaches a crisis point.”His appeal comes as CASA, which typically supports between 65 and 75 clients each year, reports a noticeable uptick in individuals seeking help due to poor mental health challenges. Smith noted that many only come forward when they are already on the brink.“Previously, people managed to deal with their problems quietly. But now, even if they recognise they’re struggling, they don’t talk about it. They bury it and try to cope until they simply can’t anymore. Unfortunately, by the time professionals are involved, it’s often too late.”But stigma—particularly in the workplace—remains a serious barrier to early intervention, he stressed.
