MENTAL HEALTH

A Health and Wellness Blog

WHY TALK ABOUT IT?!

Bruises, blood, and dislocated bones are physical signs the human body give when exhibiting physical pain. This makes it easier to locate and treat the symptoms, but what happens when the conditions being experienced are not as obvious? What should a doctor do when an EKG machine cannot deduce the reason you feel you are experiencing a heart attack on a personal level? Throughout history mental health has carried a negative stigma. According to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders Volume 5 (DSM-V), mental health is defined as, “...a syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior that reflects dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or development process underlying mental functioning... associated with significant distress or disability in social, occupational or... important activities,” (Stein, 2021) . In other words, it is a common misconception to overlook the severity to which impaired cognitive ability can hinder the executive freedom to properly care for oneself.

Society has the power to frame the way we view, treat, and identify the parameters of mental health. Therefore, please be mindful that while partaking in research, former academic journals, magazines, and books written before the Covid-19 pandemic described ‘mental health’ as mental illness. Both mental health and mental illness will be (or can be) used interchangeably. “Despite widespread skepticism about the efficacy of psychotherapy, many studies have shown that the average patient treated with psychotherapy is better off than 80 percent of untreated patients. The efficacy of psychotherapy is comparable to that of psychiatric medications,” (Lazar, S.,1993). The purpose of this blog is to raise mental health awareness and expand upon historical studies done on WHY educating the public by talking about mental illness is a crucial step in reforming systemic change.

The Beauty Behind Psychotherapy

Introduction

Mental health, mental illness, or however you resonate identifying with this topic is important to focus on because “...at any given time common mental health disorders can be found in around one in six people in the community, and around half of these have significant symptoms that would warrant intervention from healthcare professionals” (British Psychological Society UK, 2011). This means that one out of every six people you interact with may be dealing with a condition you cannot physically see. These ailments do not only apply to one gender or one age group. It is all encompassing in who will be affected and can be triggered at any point in life. Mental health conditions can range from high functioning to extremely debilitating. In a study done by the National Center of Biotechnological Information, the National Library of Medicine published a case study that reflected the top five mental health conditions in patients 18-years and older are: [1] depression, [2] generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), [3] panic disorder, [4] obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and [5] post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

When it comes to treating any of these common mental health conditions, there are two routes that can be used either on its own as treatment or in complementary conjunction. The two methods are [1] psychiatric medication and [2] therapy. It is important to note a contributing factor that prevents individuals from opting to seek care can be related to the cost and accessibility of receiving professional care. Therefore, after delving into the benefits of psychotherapy treatment, I will also share a list of free resources for anyone on a global level to seek or receive the opportunity to access professional services.

Common mental health disorders are most prevalent in everyday society and, “... has been suggested that over 40 million working days are lost each year due to stress-related disorders,” (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 2000). Psychotherapy can be used to help ease pain, manage stress, uncover problematic behaviors, overcome substance abuse, and to navigate a healing journey from traumatic experiences. There is power in opening up to a professional by following through and allowing oneself to be held accountable and vulnerable when engaging in conversations. A psychologist might opt to utilize a psychodynamic approach to reform a client's behavior by delving into their unconscious mind and uncovering the meaning behind why they (the client) might feel or behave a specific way when in a given situation. Another form of psychotherapy is cognitive behavioral therapy which focuses on changing the thought process to influence the way a person feels about doing things. Next the humanistic form of psychotherapy emphasizes the way in which a person’s actions or decisions have an effect on their environment. The humanistic approach will challenge a clients perspective regarding their free will and give insight to the weight of responsibility they hold in being aware. Essentially when partaking in psychotherapy one will be exposed to a blend of psychodynamic, cognitive, and humanistic methods allowing the situations in your personal life to be addressed to your individual growth process. In turn, being consistent in ones engagement of psychotherapy will result in long-terms self awareness and proper recognition of emotionally dysregulating events that require healthy coping skills.

RESOURCES

Mental Health Services Only:

• Ventura County Behavioral Health: (866) 998-2243

• Change Within Reach: (213) 908-1234

• Montare Behavioral Health: (888) 292-0870

Substance Abuse Treatment & Mental Health Services:

• SAMSHA: (800) 662-4357

• Tarzana Treatment Center: (866) 563-6107

• The Beacon House Association of San Pedro: (619) 515-0243
  

• Passages Addiction Treatment Centers: (310) 589-2880
  

Suicide & Crisis Hotline:

• Dial or Text : 9-8-8

The resources above are suggested referrals and options to try when you are in need of help. You may also reach out to your local university (if you are a student) for counseling services or contact your workplace HR department to see what support they offer to their employees for mental health services. If you prefer more discreet assistance and have health insurance call your member services phone number and request a list of providers within your network.

References:

British Psychological Society (UK). (2011). COMMON MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. Common Mental Health Disorders - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92254/

Different approaches to psychotherapy. (2009, December 1). https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/approaches

Lazar, S. G., Gabbard, G. O., & Hersh, E. K. (1993, Winter). The press's portrayal of mental illness. Nieman Reports, 47(4), 17+. https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.csuci.edu/apps/doc/A15002362/PPCM?u=csuci&sid=bookmark-PPCM&xid=4649ab28

Psychotherapies. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies#:~:text=Psychotherapy%20(also%20called%20talk%20therapy,patients%20in%20a%20group%20setting.

Stein, D. J., Palk, A. C., & Kendler, K. S. (2021). What is a mental disorder? An exemplar-focused approach. Psychological medicine, 51(6), 894–901. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291721001185

I am a Health Communication Student at California State University Channel Islands. Since 2012, I have been passionate about reforming our healthcare system. Throughout the years, I have Volunteered with Kaiser Permanente of Southern California, spent first-hand experience caring for hospice and geriatric patients, and currently have the pleasure of serving my local community in substance abuse treatment centers. This blog aims to provide anyone seeking help personally, or on behalf of a loved one, the ability to be enlightened in normalizing complementary medical practices into Westernized biomedical approaches.

Sincerely,

Beverly Boyd