MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS 101 Center for Health Communicaiton

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MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS 101 Center for Health Communicaiton Heather L. Voorhees, Ph. D.

MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS 101 Center for Health Communicaiton Heather L. Voorhees, Ph. D.

“MENTAL HEALTH” Emotional, psychological, and social well-being. How we handle stress, relate to others,

“MENTAL HEALTH” Emotional, psychological, and social well-being. How we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is a spectrum. Many factors contribute to mental health, including: • Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry • Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse • Lifestyle and life circumstances, such as diet and exercise, social support availability, opportunities for relaxation Source: U. S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Mental. Health. gov (2019)

“MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION” “SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS” Medically referred to as “Any Mental Illness” (AMI):

“MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION” “SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS” Medically referred to as “Any Mental Illness” (AMI): Any mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, ranging from mild to moderate impact on one’s daily life (SMI): A mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder resulting in serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities • • • generalized anxiety disorder depression eating disorders post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) obsessive-compulsive disorder schizophrenia bipolar disorder severe depression severe obsessive-compulsive disorder Source: National Institutes for Mental Health, 2019

MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS ARE COMMON, YET OFTEN UNSEEN In 2018, 47. 6 million adults

MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS ARE COMMON, YET OFTEN UNSEEN In 2018, 47. 6 million adults aged 18 or older reported experiencing mental health conditions at some point during the previous year. = 1 in 5 American adults experience a mental health condition every year, and 1 in 25 lives with a serious mental illness. Source: National Institutes for Mental Health, 2019

THE EFFECT OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS • For nearly 40 years, mental health conditions

THE EFFECT OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS • For nearly 40 years, mental health conditions have been the second-most common cause of disability in the United States. 1 • 70% of those diagnosed with a mental health condition also experience a co-morbid illness, 2 such as obesity and diabetes—and in higher rates than in the general population. 3 Sources: 1. United States Social Security Administration (2013) 2. Kessler et al. (2004) 3. Firth et al. (2019)

World • Depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1 trillion each year in

World • Depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1 trillion each year in lost productivity Community • 20% of people experiencing homelessness also have a serious mental illness • 1 in 8 U. S. emergency department visits are related to mental and substance use disorders Family • At least 8. 4 million Americans care for a loved one with mental or emotional health issues • Worldwide, 15 -23% of children live with a parent with a mental health condition Personal • Increased risk of chronic disease • 19% of people with mental health issues also have substance misuse issues Source: NAMI, 2019

Only 43% of American adults with mental health conditions, and 64% of adults with

Only 43% of American adults with mental health conditions, and 64% of adults with serious mental illness, receive treatment. • No insurance or poor coverage 1 • Limited access to healthcare providers 2, 3 • Attitudinal factors 4 “I can handle this on my own. ” “Strong people don’t need help. ” • Stigma 5 Sources: 1. Graison Dangor, NPR (June 17, 2019) 2. Mental Health America (2019) 3. Andrilla et al. (2018) 4. Mojtabai et al. (2011) 5. Abbey et al. (2011); Stuart et al. (2012)

DISCUSSING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WITH PROVIDERS CAN BE TOUGH • Personal stigma • Lack

DISCUSSING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WITH PROVIDERS CAN BE TOUGH • Personal stigma • Lack of mental health knowledge and/or confidence 1, 2 • Unfamiliarity with cultural or religious norms 3 • Differing views of collaboration 4 Sources: 1. Brunero et al. , 2018 2. Reed & Fitzgerald, 2005 3. Carpenter-Song et al. , 2010 4. Pals & Hempler, 2018

Myth: People with serious mental illness are violent and unstable. Truth: Only 3%– 5%

Myth: People with serious mental illness are violent and unstable. Truth: Only 3%– 5% of violent acts can be attributed to individuals living with a serious mental illness. 1 People with serious mental illnesses are over 10 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population. 2 Racism, hate, and domestic disputes are far more reliable and frequent indicators of violence than mental health issues. 3 Sources: 1. Fazel & Grann, 2006 2. Choe et al. , 2008 3. KVIA. com, Jan. 9, 2020

Myth: Once you’re diagnosed with a mental health condition, you’ll never recover. Truth: Just

Myth: Once you’re diagnosed with a mental health condition, you’ll never recover. Truth: Just like with physical illness such as diabetes or asthma, mental health conditions can be successfully treated and managed. “Recovery, ” or the process in which people are able to live, work, learn, and participate in their communities, is unique for everyone. It can include medication, talk therapy, lifestyle change and/or group support. Source: Mental. Health. gov

Myth: People with mental health conditions aren’t productive employees and can’t handle the stress

Myth: People with mental health conditions aren’t productive employees and can’t handle the stress of a job. Truth: When people with mental health conditions receive proper treatment and symptom management, they can be as effective on the job as those without diagnosed mental health issues.

COMMUNICATION COUNTS By communicating more thoughtfully about mental health conditions, we can: • Reduce

COMMUNICATION COUNTS By communicating more thoughtfully about mental health conditions, we can: • Reduce stigma, stereotypes, and discriminatory behavior against people experiencing mental health conditions • Help people recognize symptoms of mental health conditions in themselves 1 and others • Increase the rate of treatment-seeking 2 • Improve the mental health care people receive when they do seek help Sources: 1. Hahm et al. , 2019 2. Ross & Goldner, 2009; Schulze, 2007; Schulze & Angermeyer, 2003

BUILD AN INSTINCT TOWARD PERSON-FIRST LANGUAGE Avoid Saying… Instead, say… • That’s crazy/ psycho/

BUILD AN INSTINCT TOWARD PERSON-FIRST LANGUAGE Avoid Saying… Instead, say… • That’s crazy/ psycho/ insane. • That’s wild/ bizarre/ odd. • She has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. • He has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. • substance use disorder • living with (or experiencing) mental health conditions • completed suicide/ died by suicide • She’s a schizophrenic. • He’s bipolar. • substance abuse or addict • suffering from mental illness • successful suicide or committed suicide

AVOID TRIVIALIZATION A 2019 study of 1, 300 Tweets found that mental illnesses were

AVOID TRIVIALIZATION A 2019 study of 1, 300 Tweets found that mental illnesses were more stigmatized and trivialized than physical illnesses. Stigmatization and Trivialization on Twitter 450 410 400 346 350 RT@***; I have so much OCD when it comes to the notifications on my phone Number of Tweets 300 250 200 193 135 150 100 50 72 70 30 22 70 25 32 40 0 AIDS Cancer RT@***: his laugh will cure depression and cancer Austism Stigmatization Depression OCD Schizophrenia I wish anorexia was something I could catch, I could really use it rn Trivialization Source: Robinson, Turk, Jilka & Cella, 2019

FURTHER RESOURCES • Mental Health America (mhanational. org): An advocacy group that provides education,

FURTHER RESOURCES • Mental Health America (mhanational. org): An advocacy group that provides education, tools for mental health promotion, updates on public policy, and ways to get involved • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI; nami. org): This well-established grassroots organization offers video resources, online discussion groups, resources for loved ones, information on statistics and current research, and more • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1 -800 -273 -8255 (TALK)