Mental Health IS Health: The Importance of Normalizing Mental Health in Today’s World
When I first began brainstorming the idea of writing a Feelings Monsters series for children, it revolved around the excitement I felt as a therapist when working with children on dealing with their emotions. Seeing the light in a child’s eyes when they learn about their feelings, and the strength they display in sharing those emotions, is an amazing thing to witness. One of the most beautiful things to observe is a human being’s capacity and motivation to make positive changes. Growth simply cannot happen without change. Over the past year, in the midst of this current pandemic, my sense of excitement about creating my book series turned to a sense of urgency. Due to the fear a pandemic signals, the isolation it creates, and the major life changes that stem from health mandates, we are seeing a huge rise in depression and anxiety in people of all ages. I felt a sense of duty and determination because I want people to know that they are not alone with these feelings and that there is support out there. No one should have to struggle alone. Life is hard enough without feeling like you are alone in the battle happening inside your head.
While the U.S. has been working towards a better understanding of mental health through information and education, there is still a lot that gets brushed aside, hushed or stigmatized. According to a survey done in 2019 with the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five U.S. adults lives with a mental illness (NIMH, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml, 2021 update). Among those adults, only about half are receiving treatment or support for their mental illness. That means that there could be millions of people out there struggling with mental health issues that are not getting the appropriate support or treatment that they need. That both irritates and saddens me, being a mental health advocate. I recognize that there is something, or many things, still getting in the way of making mental health as much of a priority as physical health. We have got to do better with normalizing, educating and supporting people who struggle with mental illnesses!
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 7.7 million U.S. youths (age 6-17) struggled with a mental health disorder in 2016 (NAMI, https://nami.org/mhstats, 2021 update). It goes on to say that only about half of those youths actually received treatment for their mental health condition(s). I ask you to consider- why is it that only half of the people with recognizable issues are receiving treatment? Again- continued stigma, lack of education and lack of resources are likely among the culprits. Children struggle with the same emotions and the same mental health issues that adults do, but they do not have the cognitive or the communicative ability to ask for help, that adults do. So, it is up to us, adults, to advocate for them. If families and schools could have more education about identifying mental health issues, we could work as a society to normalize them and help guide them to resources. Parents could better understand their children’s mental health needs and feel more supported through interaction with community resources. Physicians might feel more productive in treating their patients if there was a wholistic approach being taken, with both mental and physical health being supported. I have heard so many pediatricians pleading for more mental health services for our youth.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness goes on to talk about how the average delay between the onset of mental health symptoms and treatment is 11 years (NAMI, https://nami.org/mhstats, 2021 update). That is unreal to me as so much can happen in just a year (as we are seeing with this pandemic). So much can be disrupted and so much can change. What can we do as a society to usher people into seeking treatment and not letting them fall through the cracks for more than a decade? I will repeat- education, advocacy, normalization and support! People push physical health issues like exercise and dieting, but studies have shown that mental health issues like depression, anxiety and even trauma can effect different areas of our physical health as well. So, if we are so consumed by the idea of achieving a healthier physical self- then we need to manage mental health issues as well.
Another issue that is raised is the lack of timely resources for mental health. I am a therapist in Las Cruces and even with as many mental health agencies as we have, there are months-long waiting lists with most places. The pandemic has highlighted the increasing rates of suicide, especially here in New Mexico. In a U.S. News article from July of 2020, it was reported that New Mexico had 535 suicides in 2018- as those were the latest statistics available (U.S News, https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-mexico/articles/2020-07-05/report-new-mexicos-suicide-rate-is-highest-in-the-nation, 2021). I have a feeling that because of the pandemic and the many issues it has created, 2020’s numbers will be even higher. Mental health is an issue we should not ignore because no one should feel so low that suicide is the only answer. I realize we cannot save everyone, but saving just one life can mean so much. If we paid closer attention, normalized mental health struggles, and educated people on how to ask for help, we could save many lives.
For me, being a therapist means I get to assist people in a way that helps them to feel cared about, seen and heard. I get to support them in their lowest moments and celebrate with them during their achievements. It is truly a beautiful thing to be a part of, especially in today’s world. So, I can only hope that the urgency, determination and excitement I feel in creating this Feelings Monsters series for children continues to spark a very important flame. A flame that continues to burn and continues the mission of normalizing mental health so that children and adults better accept, understand and learn how to manage emotions. We all experience emotions- it is how we respond to those emotions that ultimately matters.
- Nicole Rivera-Brastad, MS, LMFT