Mental Health
“Mental Health Matters Everyday”
-National Mental Health Association
Definition of Mental Health
Mental health. It’s the way
your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect your life. Good mental health
leads to positive self-image and in turn, satisfying relationships with friends
and others. Having good mental health helps you make good decisions and deal
with life’s challenges at home, work, or school.
Triggers and Signs
Certain experiences, thoughts, and
feelings signal the presence of mental health problems or the need for help.
The following are some
examples:
- Finding little or no pleasure in life
- Feeling worthless or extremely guilty
- Having big mood swings
- Feeling easily irritated or angry
- Hearing voices or seeing images that other people do
not experience
- Wanting to harm yourself or others
Help How-To’s
When dealing with mental health or emotional problems, it’s
important not to go at it alone. Healing is a combination of helping yourself
and letting others help you. Comfort and support, information and advice, and
professional treatment are all forms of help.
Battling Stigma, Shame & Myth
There are many reasons
why people do not get help for mental health problems. Fear, shame, and
embarrassment often prevent individuals and their families from doing
anything.
“Remember nothing is worse than nothing.”
“Just snap out of
it.”
Myth: Mental illness is not real and cannot be
treated.
Fact: Mental disorders are as easy to diagnose as
asthma, diabetes and cancer with a range of effective treatments for most
conditions.- Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health
“It’s just the Blues.”
Myth: It’s not
depression, you’re just going through a phase.
Fact:
Nineteen million adults in the United States suffer from some form of depression
every year.- National Institute of Mental Health
“They’re just Weak.”
Myth: People who
abuse drugs aren’t sick they are just weak.
Fact: Fifteen
percent of all adults with mental illness also experience a co-occurring
substance abuse disorder, which complicates treatment.-Surgeon General’s
Report on Mental Health
“Kids will be kids.”
Myth: Talk about
suicide is an idle threat that need not be taken
seriously.
Fact: Suicide is the second leading cause
of death among teens and adolescents.-Surgeon General’s Report on Mental
Health
“We just can’t afford it.”
Myth: Mental illness is a
personal problem not a business concern.
Fact: Depression is the leading cause of
disability in the United States over back problems, heart disease and liver
failure.-World Health Organization
It’s All In The Attitude
Here are
some important reminders:
- Mental health is as important as physical health.
- In fact, the two are closely linked.
- Mental health problems are real, and they deserve to
be treated.
- It’s not a person’s fault if he or she has a mental
health problem.
- No one is to blame.
- There’s hope. People improve and recover with the help of treatment, and
they are able to enjoy happier and healthier lives.
Please contact:
Behavioral Health Services of Cape Cod
Healthcare
800-545-5014
508-862-5566
Listing of
Psychiatrists at Behavioral HealthServices
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