Very often the first question I hear after meeting someone new and revealing I am a psychologist is, “Are you analyzing me?” Sometimes, it’s a statement: “So I guess you know everything about me now.” Eventually, it comes to: “Tell me what you think about me. No, what you REALLY think.”
When it comes to mental health, there is often this interesting paradox between curiosity and what amounts to fear of the unknown. Some postulate that the mystery that seems to surround mental health contributes to stigma regarding mental illness. In fact, it is difficult to know what is going on in someone else’s mind, unless the individual tells us in some way. At times we find ourselves able to imagine, predict or otherwise assume others’ perspectives with enough accuracy that we can generally get along. At other times, miscommunication disrupts our efforts and affects our relationships.
May, Mental Health Awareness Month, has allowed the community the opportunity to take some time to focus on issues of the mind. In particular, this year’s theme, “Mind Your Health,” brought attention to the mind/body connection. Stress, anxiety and depression can result in or exacerbate physical symptoms such as high blood pressure, headaches, general fatigue, and sexual and stomach problems, among other physical concerns. Understanding this connection is important, as we are then empowered to take steps to manage our health holistically, as opposed to trying to apply piecemeal interventions to whole beings.
With a field as vast as that of mental health, it is an impossibility to exhaust all related issues within 31 days. However, I do hope that the mental health campaign over this past month, which has been executed as a collaboration between the Office of the First Lady, the Association of Virgin Islands Psychologists, the Department of Health, Lutheran Social Services and The Virgin Islands Behavioral Services, and supported by numerous radio hosts and many news stations, has brought greater awareness regarding mental health to the people of the Virgin Islands. Some themes that have run throughout the programming include the following:
• Mental health issues are common: they affect about one in four adults in the United States.
• Mental illness is treatable: most people who receive treatment experience a reduction in symptoms.
• Therapy is not only for community members who have severe mental illness and obvious symptoms: it is okay to improve quality of life by actively addressing mental health issues and concerns.
• Psychologically healthy workplaces matter: mood disorders result in a $50 billion per year loss of productivity and 321.2 million lost workdays (Kessler et al., 2006).
• Social support makes a difference in maintaining good mental health.
Curiosity and unknowing about the process of therapy may also affect someone’s willingness to come in for treatment. Many may not know the following:
• Therapy with a licensed professional is a confidential process (with some legal limits).
• You are free to say what you want and withhold what you will, although sharing allows you examine your concerns to a fuller extent.
• Therapy should be a nonjudgmental process.
• Sessions are typically scheduled once a week for about 45 minutes.
• Many therapists accept insurance and others have fees on sliding scales.
• Length of stay in therapy depends on many factors; your choice is one of them!
• It is normal to feel a bit anxious about the prospect of entering treatment.
• There may be a couch, but most therapy happens sitting face to face in chairs.
Although May is coming to a close, minding your health throughout the year should support a physically and mentally healthier and happier you. Mental Health America (leader in the observance of Mental Health Month) posts resources that may assist you in minding your health on its website: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/