Taking care of your body is obviously extremely important in order to lead a healthy lifestyle. Every day, we are reminded of the obesity epidemic and how we must eat right and exercise regularly. However, in recent years, the importance of treating mental health is being acknowledged more and more, yet there is still much work to be done.
From Oct. 5 until Oct. 11, it is Mental Illness Awareness Week in America. This event was established by Congress in 1990, and was in fact created within a few years of major cancer research charities and organizations too; however, the fight against mental health problems seems to be superseding the discussion.
According to a 2008 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 in 10 Americans suffer from clinical depression and three percent have major depression, which equates to nearly 89 million people. Thus, the importance of treating mental health problems, such as depression, cannot be emphasized enough.
The stigma associated with mental health issues is something that needs to be overcome. No question about that. It may be the case that many are too embarrassed about expressing how they feel to themselves, family or mental health professionals. The thought of being branded a nutcase may hover in the dark corners of one’s mind along with whatever else is being concealed; however, we must all immediately discard the stigma that is all too often associated with mental illness.
The stigma surrounding mental illness prevents millions of individuals from seeking treatment; for example, researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry King’s College London examined data from 144 studies. The data, which included over 90,000 participants from across the globe, indicated that the stigma of mental illness remains one of the top reasons people choose to forgo care. Thus, eliminating this stigma will dramatically improve the lives of millions individuals around the world by allowing them to seek treatment for their mental health issues.
If someone broke their leg, or suffered from asthma attack, they would immediately see the doctor. If someone were born with diabetes, you wouldn’t deny him or her an insulin shot. It’s the same with mental illnesses; individuals suffering from mental health problems that impede their ability to lead a fulfilling life should seek treatment.
The fact is, if you’re experiencing symptoms of distress such as sadness, anger, irritability, fear, anxiety, helplessness or embarrassment and these feelings interfere with your ability to live your life the way you want to, then seeking mental health treatment might significantly improve your life.
Cal State University Long Beach is not supporting Mental Illness Awareness Week with any programs in particular, but there are definitely well-promoted services and events to help those interested in the cause.
Project OCEAN at CSULB is something I would highly recommend. There are training sessions available in order to recognize warning signs of those who may be suffering from a mental health disease. Everyone has a couple of bad days now and again; don’t get me wrong. But if the symptoms of a possible mental illness are interfering with your life and persist for a lengthy amount of time, then just let somebody, anybody, know.