It never ceases to amaze me how reluctant we are to discuss mental health and mental illness in this country. There remains a negative stigma associated with it that prevents and impedes the awareness and treatment of mental illness. We have every conceivable device to measure physical health. (e.g. heart rate, blood pressure, BMIs, watches that tell us our heart rate, oxygen levels, and even the amount of time spent in REM sleep), but I have often wondered, where are empirical measures of mental health?
I suggest that short of extensive psychological testing methods, there are none. I started in this field in December of 1979, and was truly motivated to provide good and competent care. My only hope was that I could leave this field believing that I’ve made a difference and that we have made dramatic strides in improving the state of mental health in this country. Sadly, It hasn’t happened.
What I have witnessed is that the rate, per capita, of mental illness, drug addiction, domestic violence, overdose deaths and suicide have all dramatically escalated. In fact, since the onset of COVID, mental health professionals have become the front line workers of the fallout from the past three years of emotional fatigue. In my practice alone, in the last three years, I have now lost eight young men and women, all under the age of 25, to suicide or overdose.
In now, 44 years of practice, I had only lost seven up until this, mind you, is only working 20 hours a week. Therapists are burning out … often treating mental health struggles while forsaking their own. Most clinics have extensive waitlists. While the needs increase, the resources decrease. Self care is critical for all of us. Recognizing that there are very few available empirical measures for mental wellness, I tried to simplify a definition that, in my experience, will be at the core of all definitions of emotional wellness. I suggest that when we have gained the ability, to understand and put into words the things that we feel, and the things that we need, we will have achieved emotional and mental wellness. We need to care for ourselves in mind body and spirit, in my opinion, to achieve a holistic wellness.
I personally struggle with the explosion of the use of medications in order to deal with any emotional struggles. When I was a child growing up in Detroit, I can honestly say that I only remember one medication ever advertised on television … remember? Boomers? It was Bayer aspirin.
Today, it’s overwhelming the amount of advertisements for drugs or alcohol. Chemical coping seems to be today’s norm. I also believe it’s why rates of addiction are skyrocketing. That’s certainly not to say that there are times when mental illness are neuro-chemically driven, as is in the case of illnesses such schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, depression etc., where medication is necessary.
It truly takes a skilled clinician to assist the patient in identifying such illness that do require medication and connecting them with psychiatry for further assessment and possible medication. My concern revolves around the explosion of the use of psychotropic medication for any emotional issues, as opposed to learning non chemical methods to deal with emotional struggle. Developing social networks of friends and family also committed to mental wellness. I’ve learned as a psychologist that good therapists understand that it’s only the patient that is capable of change. Our job is to “educate and motivate” a patient … and to recognize that metaphorically speaking, we can only provide the tools, but never can we build the house.
I hope as a community, and country we can all just learn some basic human skills that will improve our ability to cope with the mounting pressures of life.
I have sat on both sides of this chair, and as a result, I believe I have become a better practitioner. As a young man growing up in Detroit during the 1967 race riots, and losing my father at 6, I was raised more by the streets than from a father, and honestly, they didn’t do a very good job. I gratefully found a therapist who educated me and motivated me for positive change. Then lessons I learned then have guided me through 44 years in this field and hopefully I can keep providing the tools and enjoy the instruction of my patient’s new house … here are some thoughts that may help us all cope a little better with today’s upcoming holidays and mountain pressures.
Tips to improve your mental wellness:
Understand that depression is always worry about your past, and anxiety is always about our worry of the future…of which, we ultimately have no control over either … Stay in the moment!Recognize and internalize … the awareness, that we all need to learn how to achieve serenity and peace of spirit by accepting what we cannot change, find the courage to change the things we can…and, most importantly, the true wisdom to know the difference.Never be afraid, embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help. Remember, we are all only as sick as our deepest secrets. Silence only suggests acceptance.Avoid social isolation. We are social beings and require a level of social interaction to remain emotionally well. Remember that social isolation is the worst form of punishment of human beings. It’s referred to as a solitary confinement.Practice random acts of kindness, tolerance, forgiveness and patience. It’s your responsibility to become the change you want to see.
I wish you all a safe and joyous holiday..