We need a new way of thinking about mental health, a new way of thinking that recognizes the role of each person in tackling the crisis around us.
We all know this crisis exists. Record numbers of people are reporting mental health issues following the coronavirus pandemic. Approximately 20% of U.S. adults, or approximately 60 million Americans, have a diagnosable mental illness. Approximately 40% of high school students and half of high school girls say they have had mental health problems in recent years. Anxiety, depression, and suicide are on the rise. The same goes for addiction, which currently affects about one in five Americans.
Amid this crisis, governments at all levels are desperately trying to effect change, primarily through new programs and funding streams. For example, President Joe Biden’s 2024 budget proposal envisions a 44% increase in federal spending for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In his State of the Union address, he called for funding “more mental health workers.”
More spending alone is not enough to solve mental health problems
And states like Florida and Virginia are currently spending record amounts on mental health services.
But more money and more workers are not a silver bullet. While it’s true that America only has one mental health professional for every 350 people who need help, there is no reliable path to closing the gap. Even if they could, more than half of people with mental health problems still avoid care due to social stigma.
This helps explain why there was a huge increase in federal funding before the pandemic brought about major changes, and why mental health problems continued to rise.
Clearly, some root cause remains unresolved.
Therefore, a new approach is required. The mental health advocates and substance abuse experts my organization has worked with over the past decade are showing us the way. They prove that mental health crises are more than just clinical crises. It’s truly a community crisis.
Indeed, clinical practice and clinical tools are essential for many people with mental health disorders. However, it is also true that mental health is ultimately about psychological well-being. Everyone wants a meaningful life and realizes that life requires a supportive community.
Americans feel increasingly isolated and lonely
Famous psychologist Abraham Maslow says it better than I can. Based on his experience treating tens of thousands of patients, he realized that mental health problems ultimately arise when people’s deeper needs are not met. Most notably, a lack of relationships, belonging, and love can lead to loneliness, which can lead to anxiety and depression. Loneliness, if left unchecked, can ruin someone’s life.
What is happening in America supports Maslow’s theory. Last year, the US Surgeon General called loneliness an “epidemic,” and an American Psychiatric Association poll conducted in January found that one-third of adults have experienced loneliness at least once a week in the past year. It was found that many respondents reported experiencing feelings of loneliness.
Approximately 30% of Millennials have no close friends, making Gen Z the “loneliest generation.” The situation is so bad that some Gen Zers are posting “friend requests” on social media.
Isolation is a reality for my generation.Gen Z is not interested in sports. It’s part of a larger problem.
No wonder mental health deteriorates rapidly. Tens of millions of people do not have relationships that bring meaning to their daily lives. No amount of federal funding, no amount of mental health workers or programs will solve this problem. The real solution is for communities to come together and people to reach out to each other in a spirit of mutual support.
I’ve seen this truth play out across the country.
Promoting sobriety and combating social isolation, Phoenix has helped thousands of people overcome substance abuse through a supportive community focused on physical fitness.
The Confess Project trains barbers and beauty industry professionals to become a type of paraprofessional mental health counselors, and through their day-to-day work they reach millions of We are building stronger bonds with people.
There’s also “Give an Hour,” where mental health professionals help train people to become informal “peer supporters.”
Relationships and mental health support make a difference
We find that a combination of relationship and mental health support can make a noticeable difference.
These efforts are promising, but they are not enough. Loneliness continues to rise, and political polarization and social media-induced isolation are expected to exacerbate this crisis.
Helps fight depression and anxiety.Parents need help regulating children’s social media
In doing so, more and more Americans will experience mental health problems. While it is true that many people need clinical help, let us recognize that the worst thing we can do is expect others to solve this crisis.
The best thing we can do is be there for them.
Evan Feinberg is chairman of the Stand Together Foundation and executive vice president of Stand Together..
