People with mental health conditions face severe stigma. They get viewed negatively, discriminated against, and often insulted for behaving a certain way. Stigmas are misrepresentation, stereotypes, and lies spread about any condition. For instance, a person with anxiety may be called a coward. This makes it hard for people with mental health issues to seek help.
In the United States, every one in five individuals has a mental health disorder. Therefore, it is not as uncommon as most people think. The only way forward is by breaking the silence on mental health. Talk about each ailment using peer-reviewed journals and scientific facts and ensure the population knows possible treatment routes. Here is how you can clear the air and break the silence around mental health:
1) Learn The Difference Between Counseling and Psychology
Mental health conditions need specific help in the form of a counselor or a psychologist. At a glance, both professions seem similar, but each career serves a distinct purpose. While both are state-licensed, work directly with clients, and seek to improve their quality of life, their methodology to administer help differs from each other. If you wish to join this sector and help one of the most pressing issues of the modern world, i.e., mental health, you must learn to compare counseling VS psychology to make informed choices about your career. Counselors focus on general therapy and therapeutic methods such as working with clients who are addicts or need help with stress management.
On the other hand, a psychologist focuses on clients with specific disorders, creates a diagnostic route, and advises clients to seek a healthcare professional to get a prescription. Some of the diseases include depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. This route requires you to get clients through selective training before you are a licensed professional. If you choose to become a psychologist, you will need to earn a master’s in psychology and your doctorate. While as a counselor, your master’s in mental health counseling is sufficient to work with clients.
2) Acknowledge that Mental Health Issues Can Occur In Children
Mental health disorders can impact children too. The widespread misconception is that only adults are susceptible to mental health illnesses. However, nearly 5 million children in the US have a severe mental disorder. Over 20% of American children get a positive diagnosis annually. Children living with these conditions may have trouble handling their emotions, become unusually aggressive, and learn. Common ailments include eating disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and tic disorder.
A combination of factors can cause mental health illnesses in children. Genetics, environmental stress, psychological trauma, sexual abuse, and emotional neglect are leading reasons. Therefore, children who exhibit unusual behavior patterns need to get help from a mental health professional. You can help these children by conducting a complete medical evaluation, observing their response to their environment, and even carrying out a blood test to rule out physical infections. From there, you may need to carry out several psychotherapy sessions to help a child get better.
3) Depression Needs Medical Intervention
One in every twenty Americans have depression, yet less than 30% of these patients seek treatment. A depressed individual shies away from getting help because of the mental stigma surrounding their disease. Comments like, “It is all in your head,” “Depression is a sign of weakness,” and “Medication will do you more harm than good.” can be highly discouraging. But, depression doesn’t go away on its own since it is a type of chemical imbalance.
Without therapy and medication, getting better is not an option. Medicines for this ailment include antidepressants which balance the neurotransmitter causing the level to return to its healthy functioning levels. As a result, a person with depression feels better, has a more positive outlook towards life, and feels their emotional well-being improves.
4) Mental Health Conditions Are Not A Character Flaw
Mental health illnesses are notoriously associated with weakness laziness and are seen as excuses to shed off responsibility. But, this is far from reality. Diseases like personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders occur because of different reasons such as hereditary, abuse, and witnessing a traumatic incident like a severe car accident.
Even an illness like postpartum depression occurs because of hormonal imbalance like estrogen and progesterone, which impact the flow of neurotransmitters. Therefore, people struggling with mental health disorders need your compassion, understanding, and support to get better. Asking for help is not easy, so never hesitate to reach out when someone needs it.
5) Therapy Is Affordable
There is a general assumption that therapy is expensive and can cost a significant amount of money. However, therapy is not a linear concept, and there are different types of options available for those who need help. The average cost of psychotherapy in the US ranges from approximately $100 to $200 per session. The billing process also varies, with some professionals charging per hour, collecting the fees every month, or charging clients on a subscription basis.
As a mental health professional, what truly determines your cost is the state you operate in and the frequency of every session. Whether a client chooses to meet you in person or online will also impact the treatment price. Health coverage like the Affordable Care Act (ACA) also has mental health treatment benefits. If you have a sliding scale payment plan, you can use your client’s income information to determine the cost of the sessions you administer. Clients who cannot afford an in-person therapist can turn to applications like Talkspace and Betterhelp.
Mental health is not an easy topic to discuss because of social constraints. Like physical ailments, these conditions also need evaluation and help. Therefore, clearing misconceptions is the only way. If you wish to join the mental health sector, you must learn about the role you want to play. It is also vital that you accept mental health disorders that can inflict children and understand that depression needs several rounds of therapy and medication. People struggling with mental health ailments are not weak. There should also be widespread awareness of the cost of treatment so that clients know what options are there for them. With this newly found knowledge, break your silence about mental health today.
