May, Mental Health Month

Cheryl Gowin and Dennis Gowin.  Call us at our counseling practice with your feedback, comments, issues, or questions at 434-808-2637.

Have you seen Burger King’s “real meals”?  You can ask for a meal based on your mood: happy, sad, or angry.  The food is the same, but the box indicates how you feel.  Burger King introduced the “real meals” to bring awareness to Mental Health Month.  So other than you get different packaging at Burger King what does Mental Health mean to you and me?

Mental health, like our physical health, reflects a continuum of our state of health.  Mental health covers how we feel, think, and behave.  Our continuum starts with being mentally well and free of any impairment in our daily life, moving to a point where we have mild concerns or distresses, and ending with a severe mental illness.  Similar to a physical illness there are four stages in a mental health illness.

Stage 1. Viewed as mild symptoms and warning signs.  At stage 1, we begin to show symptoms but are still able to function at home, work or school with minimal disruption.  At this point, we may feel some things are “not right.”

Stage 2. The symptoms increase in frequency, severity and begin to interfere with our life activities.  It becomes evident that something is wrong.  Our symptoms last longer, or new symptoms may appear.  The new symptoms can create a snowball effect.  Our activities at work or school are challenging.  We have trouble keeping up with family duties, social obligations or personal responsibilities.

Stage 3.  Our symptoms worsen with relapsing and recurring episodes accompanied by a significant disruption in life activities and roles.  Our symptoms continue to increase in severity, and many symptoms take place at the same time.  We feel as if we are losing control.

Stage 4.  Our symptoms are persistent, severe and jeopardize our life.  Extreme, prolonged and persistent symptoms often result in the development of other health conditions.  Stage 4 symptoms have the potential to turn into a crisis including marriage problems, hospitalization, unemployment, or incarceration.  In extreme cases, untreated mental illnesses can lead to loss of life an average of 25 years early.

The National Institute of Mental Health statistics report more than 26% of adults living in the U.S. suffer from a mental health illness.  These illnesses include anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, autism, eating disorders, depression, mood disorders, personality disorders, and schizophrenia.  Still, only one in three of us seek treatment for our problems.  What would you say if only one in three individuals, suffering from a high fever or a broken bone, went to a doctor?

If a friend had cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, would you think they should wait years to see a doctor?  When we are in the first stage of those diseases and with a cough, high blood pressure, or high blood sugar, we try to reverse the symptoms, not ignore them.  Our doctors develop a plan to change and to stop the progression of the disease. So why don’t we want the same for individuals who are dealing with issues related to feelings and emotions?

Mental health is as important to each of us as our physical health.  There are many examples of mental health, and physical health problems that aggravate each problem.  Someone suffering from chronic migraines might also experience an anxiety disorder.  Obesity adds to the severity of depression symptoms.  People’s struggles with anger management can be associated with high blood pressure.  Research has found that a boost to mental health can alleviate symptoms of a medical condition.  For example, people receiving art therapy or pet therapy in hospitals are shown to have a speedier recovery than those who don’t receive treatment.  Prayer has also been shown to decrease in the severity of symptoms experienced.

Everyone has “stuff,” and we tend to want to keep our “stuff” in a tightly sealed box.  We all know someone with cancer, and we all know someone with a mental health struggle.  What can you do to help?  Don’t stigmatize those who let their “stuff” leak out; instead, help them by offering nonjudgmental understanding and support by encouraging them to find help.

Carry each other’s burdens, that way you will be fulfilling the law of Christ.  Galatians 6:2