World Mental Health Day was Wednesday of this week:
I am sharing a post that I wrote two years ago . . . one of the first times I shared publicly about my own experience with mental illness.
Mental illness. It isn’t cancer. And by saying that, I by no means am suggesting that cancer isn’t a terrible, awful, devastating disease. I lost my Mom to cancer. I will never be over it.
I say this because, unlike cancer and so many physical ailments, mental illness is invisible. You cannot smell it, taste it, touch it, or see it. It is a silent terror that lives in the body and the mind.
The first time I remember being depressed, I was 17 years old. I struggled daily to get out of bed to go to school. And then, I started crying, and couldn’t stop. I even had to leave school one day because I couldn’t get myself together enough to stay in Physics class.
Then, in college, I became a leader and an overachiever. I thought I had “won.” That I had somehow managed to escape my childhood mostly unscathed. I never looked back.
Until I lost Mom in 2012. Since then, I have battled with severe depression, anxiety and PTSD.
I am going to pull heavily from other websites today as I share the data around mental health. I will link all of these websites in the show notes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/karenhigginbottom/2018/04/20/the-price-of-presenteeism-2/#7faeabce7f9c
A year-long telephone survey of 29,000 working adults dubbed the “American Productivity Audit” calculated the cost of presenteeism in the U.S. to be more than $150 billion a year. Most studies confirm that presenteeism is far more costly than illness-related absenteeism or disability. Two Journal of the American Medical Association studies found that on-the-job productivity lost resulting from depression and pain was roughly three times greater than the absence-related productivity loss attributed to these conditions.
In a recent survey of entrepreneurs, 30% reported a lifetime history of depression. In fact, 72% of entrepreneurs suffer from mental health problems as compared to just 7% of the general public. While it’s unclear whether or not entrepreneurs have a predisposition to mental health issues, it’s evident that the stress of the industry exacerbates the issue, giving rise to the term “Founder’s Blues.” According to Fortune magazine, 30% of startups fail due to the emotional state of their founders (13% due to loss of focus, 9% due to loss of passion, and 8% due to founder burnout).
https://www.mentalhelp.net/aware/physical-mental
One in four people in the world will experience a mental or neurological illness at some point in their lives.
Nearly two-thirds of those with a known mental illness never seek professional treatment.
Mentalhelp.net surveyed over 2,000 people in the United States about their willingness to discuss depression and physical illnesses to uncover what people are comfortable talking about, or not.
Common misperceptions and stigma surrounding mental health conditions may deter people from seeking treatment, but just how pervasive are these judgements?
Major depressive disorder affects more than 15 million adults in the U.S. and is currently the leading cause of disability for people aged 15 to 44. While depression may be confused with sadness or anti-social behavior, major depressive disorder is defined as a form of depression that does not correct itself naturally and can present serious symptoms like anxiety, fatigue, lack of interest in hobbies or activities, and even thoughts of death or suicide.
Considering the effects of this condition, mentalhelp.net asked respondents how likely they would be to admit they weren’t interested in going out or engaging in social activity due to feelings of depression. Less than half of our survey respondents said they would disclose their mental health status to a family member or friend in this scenario – In comparison, the vast majority respondents were “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to admit to their family, (about 90 percent), friends, (about 89 percent), and significant other (about 94 percent) that a physical illness was preventing them from going out or engaging in social activity.
It’s evident that the survey respondents did not believe their mental health would be accepted as a legitimate health concern equivalent to a physical ailment. Our survey reveals a clear delineation between how Americans think about mental health and physical health. Without more open conversations surrounding mental health, those who are suffering may stall progress in seeking help and support.
When we asked respondents how likely they would be to tell their boss that a mental illness was the reason they couldn’t come into work, participants overwhelmingly said they were very unlikely to be honest about their mental health (about 59 percent). In contrast, the majority of our participants were very likely to share their physical ailment with their boss (almost 63 percent).
Many people perceive depression as a personal form of weakness, rather than a serious illness that comes from biochemical, environmental, and genetic factors. As such, people may be afraid to admit when they experience symptoms. At work, those suffering from depression may even be afraid of losing their job.
Depression in the workplace is a serious concern. Depression accounts for over 217 million lost work days every year and studies show that workplace suicides are on the rise. Data from 2003 to 2010 indicates that more than 17,000 workers took their own lives – averaging 1.5 suicides for every one million workers. These suicide rates were 15 times higher for men than for women, and four times higher for workers between 65 and 74 years old.
Some companies have made efforts to increase education around mental health among employees to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness and to encourage understanding and support among coworkers. Corporations that have adopted mental wellness programs have opened up pathways between employees and upper management for open dialogue about mental health concerns.
Despite the serious nature of depression and other mental illnesses, research suggests that many adults who suffer from these conditions don’t just delay treatment – they avoid it completely.
When we asked our participants how long they would wait to seek medical help if they were suffering from a mental illness, over 40 percent admitted they would wait a month to pursue treatment, while almost 23 percent said they wouldn’t seek help at all. Comparatively, 66 percent of respondents would not wait longer than one week to seek treatment for a physical ailment.
The delay of seeking medical attention for a mental illness can be tragic. The long-term effects of untreated depression can include cardiovascular disease, substance abuse, and higher rates of mortality. Long term depression has also been linked to increased risk of heart attacks brought on by a combination of the symptoms of depression and stress within those who have heart disease. Depression is the psychiatric diagnosis most commonly associated to suicide.
So why do most people avoid treatment for mental illness? The most common barriers include stigma, fear, embarrassment and finances. The history of mental health stigma in the U.S. is long and varied, but studies have shown that education and personal contact with someone who suffers from conditions like depression can have a positive impact on the perception not just of their condition, but hope in their chances of recovery. Sadly, many suffering from depression do not realize the full severity of their conditions or the effects of delaying treatment. One respondent in our survey, said that the “concern over discrimination and concern over the effect of a positive diagnosis on [his or her] self esteem,” was what prevented him or her from seeking help for a potential mental illness.
To better understand how respondents perceived stigma surrounding mental illness, we asked them why they felt uncomfortable discussing their mental health. The responses revealed some disheartening patterns – words such as “weak” “judgement” “stigma” and “not understanding” were common.
Despite research linking mental illness to biological and genetic factors, there are still misperceptions surrounding those who suffer from depression. Stigma continues to play a role in discouraging individuals from seeking treatment for mental illness.
We also asked respondents to write down their concerns about seeking help for a mental illness. Terms such as “problem,” “medicine,” “drugs,” and “side effects” were frequent, indicating a concern and possible misunderstandings surrounding the methods used to treat mental illness. While prescription medication is often used for treating severe depression, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been found to effectively treat depression as well. CBT is a form of “talk therapy” which aims to help a patient recognize distorted thinking to change his or her patterns of thought.
https://mentalhealthscreening.org/blog/the-importance-of-early-intervention-in-mentally-healthy-communities (Screening for Mental Health, Inc.)
We know the importance of prevention when it comes to physical illness. Routine checkups, screenings, and general awareness can be effective strategies to catching a disease early and increasing the chances of recovery. The same idea is true of mental illness. When treatment is only focused on the later stages of mental illness, it can become costly not only to the individual, but the community at large. Early intervention can prevent the potential results of mental illness including serious impairment, unemployment, homelessness, poverty, and suicide.
THE GREAT DIVIDE
Our survey indicates that Americans do not view mental health conditions as a threat equivalent to a physical ailment. When it comes to talking about mental health with friends, family, or coworkers, respondents simply aren’t comfortable being honest. As a result, too many Americans avoid treatment for common mental health conditions.
Early detection, assessment, and connection with treatment can have a significant impact on the lives of those who experience mental health issues. Not only can this prevent mental health problems from worsening, but it can also improve worker productivity and decrease the cost of providing health insurance. Companies with the most effective health and productivity programs achieved 11% more revenue per employee, delivered 28% higher shareholder returns, and had lower medical trends and fewer absences per employee.
Words Matter
5 ways to talk about mental health that’ll leave you feeling better
https://mashable.com/article/how-to-talk-about-mental-health/#c2KlOOYWWmqY
BY MAYA ENISTA SMITH
“Did your boss act crazy today?” “Did the driver on the highway next to you act like a psycho?” “Will you just die if you don’t get an invite to the party?”
As we try and build a world without stigma, where people feel safe to share their emotions, their challenges, and their successes, we have to create a space that honors those emotions, challenges and successes. My children could drop an F bomb if they wanted to, but they can’t say “hate” and they can’t say “crazy.” We need to take responsibility for the words we say, recognizing that the people we are talking to and about might have different experiences with so many of those words. We need to encourage, invite, and model safe, healthy conversations about mental health and we need the tools – words – to do so.
What I have learned is that you don’t “battle” mental illness. You do learn, over time, not to be afraid. To let the darkness come, knowing that it will recede, in time.
And hopefully, over time, when it does come, it will be not as deep or as wide as the last time, and that you, yourself, will be stronger in the face of it. But there are no promises there. No guarantees.
If you struggle silently with mental illness, like I have for so many years, I hope this post will let you know that you are not alone.
You are not weak
Take the medicine
You are going to be okay
The darkness cannot eat you
There is hope
Healing is not linear
If you are someone who loves someone with mental illness, I hope this picture gives you some idea of what that loved one may be facing each day.
Each day that they rise, each day that they fight to be present in spite of the terror, each day that they offer themselves to the world instead of receding into the darkness. Each and every day, they may silently perform a herculean feat hoping that the next day the light will come again.
Tell them that you love them. Tell them that they are not alone. Offer to sit with them in the darkness, in the fear, in the pain. You do not have to fix anything. You cannot fix anything. But you can offer them a safe place to know that they are deeply, truly, unconditionally loved despite whatever the darkness may be telling them is true.
XO,
B
Mental Health First Aid