SAN DIEGO, June 11, 2024 (Newswire.com) –
Young people are the ones most affected by mental illness. In fact, the majority of patients at Park Mental Health’s treatment center are between the ages of 18 and 26, the age when symptoms of mental illness may begin to manifest and worsen, says Mikayla Weathers, program director at Park Mental Health. That’s why Park Mental Health has begun an initiative to involve families in patients’ recovery.
Because mental illness is often linked to substance abuse, teens who suffer from both often find themselves turning to alcohol or drugs as a way to cope, lengthening their road to recovery.
Anyone can experience mental health issues at some point in their life: According to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, an estimated one in four Americans suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year.
Because of its prevalence, prevention should definitely be undertaken sooner rather than later.
Perhaps the best way to intervene is to teach kids how to acknowledge and deal with their feelings, Weathers said. “…Give people the power to have boundaries and speak up about those boundaries.”
The process, she adds, requires healthy adults who can regulate their own nervous systems to tolerate a child taking control of their own nervous systems. It’s a lot like the process of discovery.
Because disorders need to be treated and managed over the long term, it is important that clients’ loved ones are involved in the recovery process.
“Most of our client parents are very involved in their loved ones’ lives and are learning more about the role they play,” Weathers said.
In addition to general awareness within the home, this awareness also needs to become routine in educational settings, and is spreading, she said.
“San Diego schools are becoming more proactive in incorporating mindfulness and discussions of emotions into their curriculum,” Weathers says, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.
Weathers said more resources need to be provided to clients and professionals. “People who have to use their insurance or don’t have insurance are on long waiting lists to see a mental health professional,” she said. “There’s also not enough funding or support for professionals to provide the services they need.”
Weathers said creating safe spaces for people with mental illnesses all requires small steps, and one easy way is to check your biases and judgments.
“For example, you see a homeless person on the street talking to themselves, and they likely have a mental illness and don’t have the means to see a health care provider or the strength to know that in reality therapy might help.”
Mental health awareness is about breaking down stigmas by not perpetuating the negative stigma surrounding the struggle itself and feelings in general. “It means advocating for those who have lost the battle with mental illness and continue to ‘practice’ to be role models of mental health wellness,” Weathers said.
Source: Community Associates and Modern Press
