Community health and wellness
Recognizing mental health concerns isn’t always easy for people. Chances are you or your loved one is one in five adults in America who experience mental illness each year. But prejudice remains incredibly prevalent.
What are the consequences of this common attitude towards mental health conditions?
Stigma perpetuates the unhelpful idea that we need to suffer in silence and that getting help shows weakness or lack of character. Symptoms often begin early in life, with approximately 50% of lifetime mental illnesses starting by the age of 14 and 75% by the age of 24. These symptoms continue in varying degrees of intensity for several years before diagnosis. In fact, according to National Alliance on Mental Illnessthe average delay from the onset of symptoms of mental illness to treatment is 11 years.
Can you imagine waiting 11 years to address a physical health concern?
That doesn’t seem like a reasonable request to anyone. This month, we’ll focus on recognizing mental health conditions, what to look out for, and how to find the courage to speak up and ask for help.
Mental health awareness: common situations
The category of mental health includes a variety of diagnoses. You’re probably familiar with anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and even borderline personality disorder. These include eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
This is not a complete list of all mental health conditions, but it may include conditions you didn’t realize were included. Remember that awareness is the first step to seeking help.
Counseling and therapy can be a treatment for mental illness, but they are not the only treatment.
Symptoms to watch out for
Each of these conditions has its own symptoms, but there are a few to watch out for in teens and adults.
- Excessive worry or fear
- overwhelming feelings of sadness, frustration, or anger
- Brain fog and problems with concentration and learning
- severe mood changes
- withdrawal from friends, family, and activities they once enjoyed
- Changes in energy levels, sleeping habits, and eating habits
- Overdose of alcohol or drugs
- Physical illness with no obvious cause (headache, abdominal pain, vague and continuous “pain”, etc.)
- thoughts of suicide
- Inability to perform daily activities or cope with everyday problems or stress
Looking for symptoms in younger children can be even more difficult because they don’t always know how to talk about their feelings and thoughts. Symptoms are usually behavioral and may include:
- Possibility of negative changes in academic performance
- Excessive worry or anxiety about the situation and difficulties with transitions (e.g., leaving a caregiver to go to school or falling asleep alone)
- hyperactivity
- regular nightmares
- Severe and regular tantrums, disobedience or aggression
If you notice yourself or a loved one experiencing more than one of these symptoms at the same time, we want you to contact us, as support options are available.
How to access support
For emergencies in the United States, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or using the chat feature below. 988lifeline.org.
If it’s not an emergency, talk to your health care provider to schedule an appointment and find out what mental health support is available in your area. This support typically begins with an assessment, diagnosis, and then a suggested course of treatment. You have options!
These treatment options include medications, therapy/counseling, or other lifestyle changes such as adjusting your diet, exercise, and sleep. While there is no magic cure to “fix” everything, Gig Harbor Primary Care is here to be part of your mental health support system.
We want to convey that asking for help and support shows that you are courageous. It may take some time to find the best course of treatment for you and your particular situation, but we are very happy to work with you to find out what it is. doing.
Share this article with your friends and family to let them know you care about their mental health and are working to end stigma. Join us and prove that mental health = good health!
scott freshman
The Wellness Wednesday column is written by Scott Fleshman, an advanced registered nurse practitioner and board-certified family nurse practitioner. Fleshman and his wife, Jessica Hopkins, run Gig Harbor Primary Care.
