Normalizing mental health treatment

The case for normalizing mental health treatment is a concern for most if not all. Whether you are suffering from mental health issues or someone you know suffers from mental health issues, seeking treatment is the appropriate response. In years past, having a mental illness meant you were unfit for society and often people resorted to asylum treatment (Becker, 2023). Modern society considers mental health treatment common and treatable. However,  according to the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, there are precautions to be aware of, and by not talking about mental health the stigma of seeking treatment is perpetuated. Three ways they suggest normalizing mental health are: talking openly about mental health, educating yourself and others, and being conscious of language.

Reasons to shed light on this come two-fold for me: ongoing interpersonal conflict with someone who suffers from chronic anger (although I feel like I am the one suffering from the result of that), and the rising problem of addressing poor adult behavior both behind the wheel and in the classroom in Texas.

Authorities in Texas address these issues by using blunt tools such as graphic imagery and tear-jerking videos of families who have lost people in automobile fatalities, and negative news headlines about teachers paired with images, video, and termination examples.

Texas has been in the top 3 states for motorist fatalities for more than 20 years. This method is clearly not working.

My experience with a person who suffers from chronic anger sheds some light on this as a whole. This person is not surrounded by people who believe in mental health treatment, feels entitled so doesn’t see that the outbursts are counterproductive or abusive, and is immersed in a belief system that says mental health treatment is emasculating.

What we need is culture shift.

Good Therapy online journal author, Raina Becker (2023), and UCLA Psychology Department student, Daniel Fu, warn us of the impact of sensationalizing mental health issues in daily language. This includes conversations and media. The media may overly romanticize mental health issues and mental illnesses, misrepresent those who suffer, and portray an inaccurate image. Becker (2023) states that the casual normalizing of mental health issues and treatment may downplay the severity and complexity of some psychological conditions.

The objective of a ‘good life’ is to live a life with purpose, challenge, and some amount of joy or contentedness or satisfaction as well as whole self wellness in both body and mind. However, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), there is a connection between a person’s mental and physical health and longevity. They state that the average life span for people with serious mental illness is about 25 - 30 years less than the general public. Statistics on the NIMH website also show that people with depression have a 40% higher risk of developing heart disease and the second leading cause of death as documented in 2021 among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34 is suicide (Massachusetts Department of Mental Health). According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one of 8 trips to the emergency room by adults involves mental illness and substance abuse disorders.

Seeking mental health treatment can improve feelings of well-being, improve physical health, expand problem-solving solutions, clarify unanswered questions, build self-confidence, and change behaviors that aren’t benefiting you any longer.Fear, anger, anxiety, worry, and the rest of the emotional set are with us to serve specific purposes. Getting professional help can illuminate the 'why' behind it, and help us examine if a particular emotion is working on overdrive. Working with mental health experts can teach us how to self-regulate in the various scenarios life will put us in. The case for seeking treatment is clear. Although, according to NAMI statistics, even though about twenty percent of Americans will experience mental illness each year, less than half of them will seek or receive help. It is time to normalize, not sensationalize, mental wellness and all that goes along with it.

Sources:

Becker, (2023). Normalizing to Sensationalizing: The Evolution of Mental Health. https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/normalizing-to-sensationalizing-the-evolution-of-mental-health/.

Fu, (n.d.). Normalization and Popularization of Mental Illness and Its Impact: Personal Experience and a Look at Research Findings; UCLA Student Perspectives. https://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/normalize.pdf.

Massachusetts Dept of Mental Health, (n.d.). Why is it important to talk about mental health? https://www.mass.gov/info-details/why-is-it-important-to-talk-about-mental-health.

NAMI, (n.d.). Mental Health by the Numbers. https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-by-the-numbers/

NIMH, (n.d.). Mental Health Information. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.

NIMH, (n.d.). Suicide. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.