Breaking Down Barriers to Mental Wellness
05/17/2019 ..
Take a moment to close your eyes and think of four women you know well. Perhaps they are friends, family members, or a combination of both. These are women you have spent a considerable amount of time with, whether by choice or biology. Picture yourself sitting with them, enjoying a stimulating conversation about some topic of interest. You might be hanging out in your living room, at the beach, or in a favorite local coffee shop, having a cup of morning joe. Now, imagine that one of the five in your group struggles with a serious mental health issue. It might be depression or another mood disorder, debilitating anxiety, or substance abuse. Gaze on each woman’s face, look into her eyes, stopping to peer into your own. Can you see who is in pain? Remember, you know these women well. Is it the woman on your right? Your left? The one with the piercing blue eyes sitting across from you? Or is it you?
It may be difficult to come up with the answer to that question, because you cannot tell simply by looking at someone if they struggle with mental illness - yet nearly one in five American adults do, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. (NIMH) The data from NIMH also reveals that less than half of those who struggle will receive treatment.
Studies suggest that there are three prevalent reasons why those who need professional mental health treatment do not seek it: stigma, uncertainty, and access.
Some mental health experts are calling the growing number of U.S. adults struggling with mental health issues, an “epidemic”, predicting that by the year 2030, the cost of untreated mental health will reach “crisis” proportions, costing the global economy up to $16 trillion. Depression is ranked as one of the most common causes of disability in our country, and it is more prevalent in women than men. Postpartum depression alone affects up to 15% of mothers. In an effort to understand this epidemic sweeping our nation, let’s look at the barriers, one by one.
Stigma: It has long been a phenomenon of human nature that we fear what we do not understand. And what we fear, we avoid. Consider what thoughts and feelings immediately surface in your mind and heart when you hear the term, “mental illness”. What images are conjured up? Is it someone curled up on a concrete floor wearing a straightjacket? A man wandering in circles on a street corner, talking to someone who isn’t there? A woman passed out on a bus stop bench from an overdose of heroin? While these situations unfortunately occur, and they are the stories we hear about when mental illness is discussed in the news or portrayed in the movies, (think One Flew Cuckoo’s Nest) they are not the profiles of the average person who struggles with a mental illness. Most who struggle with mental illness suffer silently, functioning enough in their daily lives that their mental pain and anguish goes unnoticed, sometimes even by those who know them best.
It’s our misunderstanding of mental illness that shapes both the way we think and talk about it.
We can all be described as a triune being; God created us with a body, a soul, and a spirit. The soul is what houses our mind, will, and emotions. Think of your brain as your control center – it tells your heart to beat, and in fact, is a neurological highway that directs all functions of your body. Sometimes, neurological pathways in the brain become unbalanced, get misdirected, or burn out. When this happens, a disorder of the mind occurs. Mental health is brain health. If you had heart trouble, you wouldn’t have any reservations seeing a cardiologist to properly diagnosis and treat the issues, or if you discovered you had a tumor, you would most definitely seek expert help. Sadly, one of the reasons we shy away from seeking professional help when our brain health – mental health – is not at its best is because of the stigma our culture has created around it. The way to affect change and reduce stigma is to change the way we think about, and in turn talk about, mental illness. The words we choose when we speak about mental illness, reflects our understanding of it – and misinformation creates misunderstanding. Phrases such as, “mentally ill, addict, and depressed person” is stigmatizing language that labels and dehumanizes people. By using language like this, we are defining people by their disability or illness. Terms that help reduce stigma, preserve human dignity, and show respect, include phrases such as, “person with a mental health challenge, person with a substance use disorder, and person struggling with depression.”
The church should be the safest place to talk about mental health – a place where there should be zero stigma. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. I grew up going to church, attending many churches of various denominations around the country, as our family moved around according to my father’s job. My recollection of conversations I overheard when adults were discussing someone struggling with depression, anxiety, or substance abuse was in hushed whispers, bathed in tones of shame and judgement. As Christians, we can be tempted to spiritualize every problem – including physical and mental health. This is dangerous and increases the shame and stigma around mental illness. It was this passion to help people understand health from a holistic perspective - body, soul and spirit - and in particular a mental health perspective, that fueled my desire to become a mental health therapist.
At Saddleback, we seek to reduce the stigma around mental illness by providing a safe place for everyone to talk about it. Kay Warren, who lost her son Matthew to suicide, knows the devastating impact of mental illness on the entire family, and has been a champion for providing resources and hope for those who are also impacted: http://kaywarren.com/
A catastrophic consequence to stigma is that it discourages people from seeking help.
Uncertainty: Just as a physical illness requires professional diagnosis and treatment, so does a mental illness. In addition to stigma being a barrier to mental health treatment, so is the lack of recognition – just being uncertain of whether or not you are actually struggling with a mental health condition. We are a culture that loves to do everything ourselves – the internet has given way to an information highway that entices us to educate ourselves, and when it comes to our health – diagnose ourselves. But you can’t believe everything you read on the internet. Experts in mental health have been well educated, trained, and licensed in order to provide the best care to those who need their services. There are more than 300 types of mental illness – this alone should encourage those who struggle with mental wellness to seek an expert in order to identify and treat what ails them. Not to do so, is to play Russian roulette with your mental health. Often, because mental illness operates on a continuum, people are able to function just enough that they excuse the need for proper evaluation and treatment…until a crisis hits.
A mental health condition gone untreated can lead to increased struggles and decline in functioning, until the person erupts in a full-blown mental health crisis.
The following statistics punctuate the certainty that we do indeed, have a need for mental health treatment:
• One in five American adults suffer with a mental illness
• 16 million U.S. adults have experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year
• 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14
• 67% of U.S. adults with a personality disorder have at least one other mental illness
• 18% of U.S. adults – approximately 40 million people – have anxiety disorders, the most prevalent mental illness
• 1 in 25 U.S. adults has a serious mental illness that limits or interferes with major life activities
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34
Sources: National Institute of Mental Health; National Alliance on Mental Health; Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Having accessible resources to mental health is an important step to providing hope and healing to those who struggle with mental illness.
Access: While stigma and uncertainty are barriers to mental wellness, having access to care is a big hurdle. This needs to change in order for mental wellness to improve. Many Americans do not have health insurance, and for those that do, mental health services are not covered. This is a seriously debilitating issue that many mental health advocates have taken to the steps of the capital, lobbying for better mental health care coverage for all of us. Additionally, many Americans who do not have health insurance, lack the financial means to pay for mental health treatment out of pocket. Finding accessible mental health resources can be challenging. Fortunately, at Saddleback, we provide support groups, counseling, and other support for those affected by mental illness: http://hope4mentalhealth.com/
Change happens one step at a time. The first step for all of us in breaking down the barriers to mental wellness is indeed, becoming informed. The next step is to ask for help, if you think you may need it. It’s okay to be unsure; there is hope and healing in seeking certainty and this is another step toward removing a barrier. Stepping out to ask for help can be scary but you can trust that God loves you and will walk with you every step of the way because his plan for you has always been health and wellness – in body, in spirit, and in mind.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” II Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)