(Mental Health and Our Community Part 1 by Art Caron, licensed social worker and behavioral health therapist at Keystone Behavioral Health, first appeared in an April 2014 edition of the Public Opinion Newspaper. To read it at www.publicopiniononline.com, click here.)
In this first of a four part series on mental health and our community, Art Caron, licensed social worker and behavioral health therapist at Keystone Behavioral Health, examines why having access to mental health care is important to our community and the main reason people don’t seek help.
From important to urgent
Like many physical health problems, consistent treatment of mental health issues is often affected by convenience and ease of access-particularly in rural locations like Franklin County. If someone has to leave their own community to see a specialist, they may only be willing to seek help out of necessity rather than addressing the issues at its start.
Crisis happens
When a person can’t avoid their symptoms they are in crisis-often confused by changes in their thinking patterns and mood. The increase in how strong, often, and how long symptoms last often mean an increase in the need for care. Sometimes going to a crisis center or emergency department is necessary for the safety of the patient and others.
Get care early
Having many options for mental health care in the community allows patients to access treatment prior to the crisis stage. Symptoms can be addressed at an earlier stage of development and a less intensified form of treatment such as outpatient care could be utilized for a longer period of time at less financial cost than a hospitalization.
Negative stigma
Mental health diagnosis can be accompanied by a negative stigma. The patient (and their family) needs to overcome this in order to successfully participate in diagnosis and treatment for their condition. The negative feelings a person has about entering mental health treatment often act as the primary reason they don’t get proper help and treatment.
Chemical imbalance
Mental health issues are caused by a chemical imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Family and friends of those suffering from mental health issues should help emphasize this fact on a regular basis. Coming to this understanding can help alleviate unnecessary feelings of guilt and shame that those with mental health issues often experience.
