MENTAL HEALTH
MENTAL ILLNESS IS A CONCERN for everyone. Whether we or someone we love is grappling with it, mental illness leaves no life untouched.
How prevalent is mental illness in our nation? According to the Mental Health Foundation website (mentalhealthfoundation.org), Johns Hopkins University recently estimated that one in four US adults—or 26%—experience mental illness each year, and research from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has revealed that 13.1 million—one in every 20—live with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Even more concerning, nearly 8 million children and adolescents in the US suffer from a serious mental illness, the website reports.
Unfortunately, too many people who could benefit significantly from mental health treatment and support fail to seek them out or are unable to access them due to barriers such as the lingering stigma attached to mental illness, a dearth of mental- health resources in their community, financial hardships associated with treatment or time lost at work, or simply the lack of awareness that their symptoms are attributable to mental illness and can be treated and managed successfully.
To help spread the word that mental health is something everyone should care about, the Mental Health Foundation has designated May as Mental Health Month. This annual observance, launched in 1949, provides an opportunity for those whose lives are touched by mental illness to share information, stories, and resources.
This year’s campaign, themed Look Around, Look Within, is focused on how individuals’ surroundings impact their mental health, and addresses topics such as safe and stable housing, healthy home environments, neighborhoods and towns, and the outdoors and nature. For more resources and information on Mental Health Month, visit mhanational.org.
If you or someone you love is struggling with mental illness and/ or considering suicide, there’s no time like the present to seek help and stop suffering in silence. Many organizations and agencies in our community—several of which are advertising their services in the pages of this issue—are poised to provide the professional care and treatment you need to recover. So, don’t wait another day to make the call that could change your life for the better.
Look Around, Look Within: Your surroundings say a lot about your mental health
TAKE A MOMENT to consider your surroundings. Do you feel safe? Do you have access to health care and grocery stores? Does your home support you, both physically and mentally?
This Mental Health Month, challenge yourself to look at your world and how different factors can affect your mental health.
Where a person is born, lives, learns, works, plays, and gathers, as well as their economic stability and social connections, are part of what are called “social determinants of health” (SDOH). The more these factors work in your favor means you are more likely to have better mental well-being. However, when it seems like the world is working against you, your mental health can suffer.
While many parts of your environment can be out of your control, there are steps you can take to change your space and protect your well-being.
• Work toward securing safe and stable housing: This can be challenging due to finances, age, and other reasons, but there are a few things you can try, such as reaching out to state/ local agencies to secure housing, removing safety hazards in the home, or finding another space (such as a community center or friend’s home) where you can get the comfort you are missing at home.
• Focus on your home: Consider keeping your space tidy, sleepfriendly, and well-ventilated. Surround yourself with items that help you feel calm and positive.
• Create bonds with your neighborhood and community: Get to know the people living around you, join or start neighbors-helping-neighbors groups, and support local businesses to challenge gentrification.
• Connect with nature: Hike in a forest, sit in a city park, bring a plant inside, or keep the shades open to absorb natural light. If you’re taking steps to improve your surroundings but are still struggling with your mental health, you may be experiencing signs of a mental health condition. Take a free, private screening at mhascreening.org to help you figure out what is going on and determine next steps.
The world around us can be both positive and negative—bringing joy and sadness, hope and anxiety. Learn more with Mental Health America’s 2023 Mental Health Month toolkit, which provides free, practical resources, such as how an individual’s environment impacts their mental health, suggestions for making changes to improve and maintain mental well-being, and how to seek help for mental health challenges. Go to mhanational.org/ may to learn more. ✲
Mental health is human health
GREAT CHANGES ARE HAPPENING in mental health, especially here in Northwest Ohio.
Each May, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) asks for support, education, and stigma-reducing attitudes about mental health. It appears those messages are making a positive impact on mental health awareness.
Mental Health experts at OhioGuidestone (formerly known as A Renewed Mind in Northwest Ohio) see the changing tides of mental health in the form of better understanding, new treatments, and greater support for their services. OhioGuidestone is the state’s leader in community behavioral health.
OhioGuidestone president and CEO Brant Russell, who is also a nurse, said, “People are finally realizing that mental health is human health. None of us are immune to mental illness. We are there for them.”
Celebrities are taking the stigma out of mental health, using social media to share personal experiences related to their own mental health, such as postpartum depression, substance use, eating disorders, and more.
More telling than who is sharing their mental health details is the public’s reaction, which shows remarkable improvement. Their overall response is positive, with comments on social media demonstrating support for those struggling with their mental health and praise for those who are willing to talk about it.
When Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman announced that he was seeking treatment for depression, the public reacted to his illness just as they had when Fetterman suffered a stroke, offering him messages of support and prayers for his recovery.
Actor Amanda Bynes received praise over social media because she recognized her mental health symptoms and sought help quickly.
OhioGuidestone’s whole-person- and-family approach to health care addresses all aspects of an individual’s life instead of just the diagnosis. Russell said, “We offer services in 327 schools, and many problems at school are linked to other issues, such as food and housing insecurity, parental substance use, family system challenges, or a significant loss. Sometimes a child receiving therapy at school identifies a family in need of care and support. That is why we look at the whole situation with compassion and respect to help our clients navigate difficult times in their lives.”
OhioGuidestone’s services cover an entire lifespan, from early childhood into adulthood. The treatments encompass everything from anxiety, depression, substance use, and trauma to specialty services such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) services (known locally as DoubleArc) and more.
Substance use treatment and prevention services are among the most successful programs at OhioGuidestone. In addition, the agency recently opened a CertifiedCommunityBehavioralHealth Clinic (CCBHC). The clinic, located in Napoleon, offers integrated care and crisis services to anyone, regardless of insurance and ability to pay.
Russell credits innovative ideas and a compassionate workforce for much of OhioGuidestone’s success, referring to treatments like Peer Recovery, which allows an individual to be treated by someone who has been through the recovery process, or Expressive Arts Therapy, which addresses trauma through art.
He says OhioGuidestone is in a unique and strategic position of having a research arm within the agency. “Our Institute of Family and Community Impact is breaking new ground in parenting and early childhood programs,” he said. “We are developing evidenced-based treatments and have programs that specifically address people who are often overlooked in mental health, such as fathers who experience paternal depression, and we are always exploring ways for parents and their children to experience joy together.”
NAMI reports at least 1 in 5 people experience some form of mental health issue. Russell says, “There’s a good chance that right now you or someone you know is going through a difficult time, and nothing should prevent you from getting better. OhioGuidestone has the resources to help you.”
OhioGuidestone.org has a full list of their services and locations, including the new Behavioral Health Center in Napoleon. ✲
Are you experiencing burnout? Steps to help you move forward
by Krista McCarthy Noviski, MA
IN OUR 24/7, MODERN, BUSY LIVES, maximizing productivity and multitasking are viewed as necessary skills to getting it all done. While some people are able to balance multitasking with ample time spent recharging and resting, others strive to do more and more until they find themselves feeling overwhelmed and burned out. Burnout can be described as a state of mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion that typically results from extended periods of stress related to work, relationships, and/or personal life. Individuals experiencing burnout often report being overwhelmed, exhausted, and unable to experience a sense of well-being on a daily basis (Ruisoto et al., 2021).
We often associate the state of burnout with being “stressed out,” but the condition of burnout may look different than we would expect. Instead, burnout may involve fatigue, poor sleep quality, and lack of focus. Most of us can relate to the physical effects of burnout such as fatigue and lack of energy, but burnout also negatively impacts our mental health. Individuals often report a decreased mood, poor concentration, and less motivation when feeling overwhelmed or burned out (Ruisoto et al., 2021).
You may be thinking that some of this sounds familiar, but you’re feeling stuck and not quite sure how to move forward. Well, progress is within your reach if you’re willing to include simple practices that can be helpful over time. If you’re not sure where to begin, try to implement one of the following steps:
• Make a decision to prioritize your well-being. Those who are experiencing burnout are often taking care of others but have not taken time to care for themselves.
• Begin some form of simple movement/exercise such as walking.
• Commit to making optimal sleep a priority.
• Stay connected socially by spending time with friends or family who are supportive and allow you to relax and enjoy yourself (Ruisoto et al., 2021). It’s best to start with one of these steps and develop consistency, then add an additional step as you are ready.
Ruisoto et al., (2021). Social support mediates the effect of burnout on health in health care professionals. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.623587.
Krista McCarthy Noviski, MA, is a Health and Wellness Coach and Instructor at the University of Toledo. She is the Founder of BestLife Coaching. Her office is located at 1510 N. Westwood, Suite 2080, on the campus of UT. For further information, visit www.bestlifecoachingnow.com or call 419-205-1079. ✲
