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MENTAL HEALTH

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MENTAL HEALTH PERCEPTIONS IN TODAY’S SOCIETY

When a close friend or family member is diagnosed with a mental illness this can
throw the whole family into disarray. Thankfully more and more awareness about
mental health is emerging in society, yet this still a stigma surrounding mental
health and those that suffer from it in one way or another. People who have
mental health issues have enough to deal with, without also having to deal with
ignorance or worse, being seen as less than others. Many people who suffer
through this illness find an amazing inner strength that we all have, yet it is
only brought to the surface in those who need it most. If everybody educated
themselves about the different mental health issues, it would not be as big of
an issue as it is today. This is largely due to the fact that people have
preconceived ideas about what it means to be mentally unwell, yet many of these
have no basis on fact.

I asked the question of what mental health means to some people. One person had
a family member who was diagnosed with bi-polar. She mentioned an all-too common
scenario when dealing with someone who has a mental condition. That is denial.
Some people will deliberately avoid being ‘marked’ as having a mental condition
so they will suffer in silence simply to avoid the back-lash that comes from
society. They can even go as far as not taking their medication, which depending
on what condition they suffer from, can put themselves or others in potential
danger.

Many people who treat a person with mental illness as different do not see the
person as ‘normal’ therefore they do not consider the implications of their
actions or words. Yet a mentally ill person still has feelings and emotions and
can be negatively impacted by the sometimes harshness of society. On the other
hand though, a simply act of kindness can make an individual’s day.

Then there is the issue between the two terms ‘mental health’ and ‘mental
illness’. Mental health is generally a confusing topic as some people see it as
a positive, leading a balanced life. A big change is that some workplaces are
paying much more attention to work-life balance, as stress can be a major health
factor. Whereas mental illness is generally used for long-term serious. It
really depends on the individual as to what these two terms mean. Some
‘illnesses’ are more widely accepted in society including, but definitely not
limited to depression, anorexia, and suicide.

Understanding of mental illness generally comes with age and life experience.
Some people have a friend or family member develop a mental illness and it hits
home for them and it becomes much more real than reading about it on the
television or from a book. Until a person gains this first-hand experience of a
person suffering from mental illness they can never truly understand what life
is like for a person with a mental illness.

Another big issue around this topic is that people who have a mental illness do
not like to be treated differently or treated as though there is something
‘wrong’ with them.

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ARE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH LINKED?

People nowadays spend a lot of time at the gym, running or doing other exercises
to better their physical health and get a good figure. Although maintaining your
physical health is all well and good, many people tend to overlook the benefits
and importance of mental health and even how the two coexist.

Sure, the difference between mental and physical well being is relatively
obvious and straightforward, however their similarities and how are they
connected may be a little more elusive.

Mental health and a sound state-of-mind, in fact, are just as important to your
overall health as working out, correct diet and doing “cardio” and actually
affects how well all of those things maintain your physical health. Speaking
generally, in 2009 a research team in the United Kingdom concluded that mental
fatigue leads to the body becoming fatigued faster (Mental and Physical Health).
Why? The answer is simple but multifaceted:

Firstly, mental exhaustion inhibits the mind’s ability to motivate itself and to
push through a physically draining task. That being the case, if you are in a
sound mental state, and you go running, your mind will be ample prepared to push
your body further and harder, past the initial signs of fatigue. On the flip
side of that coin, if you are mentally tired, frustrated or distracted, your
mind, chemically (due to the decreased levels of dopa-mine), will not be able to
find the motivation to push your body, leading to a shorter, less productive
workout.

Secondly, we can see a similar aspect of the issue from the perspective of
apathy, which often arises when someone is not in sound mental well being. Take
the example of an emotionally distressed person, being asked about something not
particularly important to them. Their answer to questions such as: “What do you
think about this?” or “What should we do in this situation?” will most likely
be: “I don’t care” or “It doesn’t matter”. Similarly to our first point above,
the indifference caused by the person’s mental state, which I am sure we have
all felt, directly affects their physical state when the questions become
internalized: “Should I workout today?”, “Should I cook myself something
healthy?” or “That portion looks a little too big for me.”

That being said, it is easy to understand how, while physical and mental health
are not identical, they are, without a doubt, deeply intertwined and rely
heavily on each other. While physical health may be seen as a chemical or
biological state of the human body, it dictates how well your body moves, reacts
to stimuli and how well you focus on things. Thus, with poor physical health,
your mental health will suffer. Similarly, mental health may seem unrelated and
not as important, because it is intangible and harder to regulate, but mental
health has a direct effect on the body’s ability to overcome difficult physical
tasks (the heart of doing any physical workout) as well as heavily affecting
one’s ability to motivate themselves to do anything.

All in all, in order to be a “healthy” human being, one must not look at diet
and exercise, but also at how they are feeling and the state of their mental
health.

MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA

Despite the increase in publicity surrounding mental health and mental health
issues, there is still a lack of understanding about mental health in general.
For example, a research survey published by the government “Attitudes to Mental
Illness 2007″ reported that 63% of those surveyed described someone who is
mentally ill as suffering from schizophrenia, and more than half believed that
people with mental illness should be kept in a psychiatric ward or hospital.
Overall the results showed that positive attitudes to people with mental health
had actually decreased since 1994 which is worrying indeed.

Amazingly, many people still don’t understand that mental health problems affect
most of us in one way or another, whether we are suffering from a mental illness
ourselves or not. If we bear in mind that a quarter of the population are
suffering from some kind of mental health problem at any one time, then the
chances are, even if we personally don’t have a mental illness, we will know
someone close to us who does, so it is our responsibility to understand what
mental illness is and what can be done about it.

Many people with mental health problems will often feel isolated and rejected
and too afraid to share their problems with others purely because of the way
they might be perceived. This lack of understanding means they are less likely
to get the kind of help and support they need and are in danger of slipping even
further into depression and mental illness. People need to understand that
mental illness need not be a barrier to a better quality of life and that help
is available and that most people with a mental health problem can regain full
control over their lives if they get the support they need.

A new guide to mental health

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has produced a new guide to mental health
which was published in November 2007 and is aimed at informing the general
public about what mental illness is and is a big step towards tackling the
stigma that is still attached to mental illness.

The guide is written in an easy to understand format and over 60 mental health
experts have contributed to it. The Mind: A User’s Guide contains chapters that
cover a whole range of mental illnesses and includes a section on how the brain
works, how mental illness is diagnosed, and how to cope with it.

A Scottish survey

In Scotland, a national survey of public attitudes to mental health Well? What
Do You Think? (2006) was published in September 2007 and highlighted that
although people living in socially deprived areas have a higher incidence of
mental health, the level of stigmatisation is still no lower than in other
areas. This suggests that being confronted with mental illness is not enough to
change the attitudes towards it.

There are also gender differences too. According to the Scottish survey, men
with a mental health problem were more likely to be treated with suspicion than
women and were also more inclined to avoid social contact with someone else with
a mental health problem. Even out of those who displayed a positive attitude
towards people with mental health problems, many said they would be reluctant to
tell anyone if they had a mental health problem themselves which just goes to
show that there is still fear surrounding other peoples’ perceptions of mental
health.

A CIPD Survey

A recent study conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
and KPMG consultants surveyed over 600 employers and reported that doctors are
not doing enough to help people with mental health problems return to work and
that this is costing the business world billions of pounds. For example, only 3%
of the participants rated doctor support as “very good”.

It may be that doctors really don’t know what else to offer someone suffering
from depression and anxiety other than drugs and time off work. Even more
worrying was the fact that 52% of employers maintained that they never hired
anyone with a history of mental illness which serves to perpetuate the stigma.
On a more positive note, of those that did hire someone with a mental health
problem, more than half said the experience had been “positive”.

Changing attitudes

A lot is being done by governments and organisations to try to change public
attitudes towards mental health but is it enough? Until we all recognise that
mental illness doesn’t discriminate, it can affect any one of us at any time
regardless of our age, gender or social background, the stigma attached to
mental illness is likely to persist.

Mental illness doesn’t discriminate, it can affect any one of us at any time
regardless of our age, gender or social background, and yet the stigma attached
to mental illness still persists. Although a number of government initiatives,
awareness campaigns and organisations have been set up specifically to tackle
mental health stigma and change our attitudes towards mental health in general,
there is still a long way to go.

It is therefore up to each and every one of us as individuals to make sure we
are well informed and understand the issues involved because only when the
public are fully aware of the facts will mental health stigma become a thing of
the past.

SALES PRINCIPLES & THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSION – STRATEGIES THAT LEAD TO
SUCCESS IN THE MARKETPLACE

CHALLENGES FOR THE PROFESSION

Mental Health issues make their way across the newswire at an alarming rate. We
hear about teenage suicide, random acts of violence, an increase in depression
and anxiety across all ages, substance abuse, complex trauma at home and abroad.
Even more alarming are societal maladies that are rarely discussed. Children
forever lost in chaotic homes where violence and sexual abuse is pervasive with
national and local systems ill equipped to effectively address these tragedies.
Such is the world a mental health professional finds herself/himself thrust into
as part of a calling to serve and help those suffering psychological and
emotional pain.

A mental health career is a noble and courageous endeavor, which can come at a
significant price. We see state governments use mental health services as a
scapegoat for poor financial management and planning, choosing to balance their
Medicaid books at the expense of community based mental health programs. As a
result, mental health practitioners are asked to serve effectively with few
resources, little pay and even fewer options to grow professionally.

Mental health services in the private sector are equally challenging. Insurance
companies devalue these services as evidenced by limited reimbursement rates,
few behavioral healthcare plans for employees, and the implementation of complex
and convoluted systems that test the most patient and saint-worthy of
practitioners.

In spite of all these challenges in the mental health marketplace, there are
specific business strategies and approaches practitioners can adopt in an effort
to overcome these obstacles and ultimately triumph in the profession. In this
article I discuss many of the key strategies and will expound on them in greater
detail in future publications. The understanding and use of best-in-class sales
and marketing principles will serve to complement an already rich skill set that
will help mental health professionals succeed in ways they may not have imagined
possible!

SECRETS OF SUCCESS & THE SALES STIGMA

The business world is changing at an incredibly fast pace and many of these
changes have a profound impact on the way people do business. Most of us in the
mental health field, however, remain blissfully ignorant and unaware of these
subtle but powerful events. Those lucky few who become aware of some of these
changes (e.g., technological advances that decentralize and empower people at
all levels; new concepts in sales & marketing that enable you to grow your
business at hyper-speed using a sophisticated multimedia approach) are presented
with a window of opportunity that can lead to tremendous growth and
independence. Opportunities abound for those who are open to some of these new
ideas and willing to integrate new concepts into their mental health service
model. The key lies in how highly skilled mental health professionals approach
the marketplace and what tools they choose to use in order to succeed in a
competitive environment. As a licensed clinician and mental health consultant
for over 15 years I have seen many success stories that were the direct result
of the effective use of the key principles I discuss in this article.

A key area most mental health professionals are sorely lacking and unaware is in
understanding, utilizing and integrating sophisticated sales skills within their
practice! Did you say sales skills?! Yes, indeed I did. Clinicians receive heavy
doses of clinical training in graduate schools and continuing education
programs. However, very little is offered in terms of how to succeed in the
profession from both a financial and career development perspective. There are
business seminars focusing on billing practices, business systems, and various
administrative tasks but few if any discuss the power and importance of sales
skills in our profession. This area is often so untapped that adopting even some
of the more basic principles will immediately distinguish you in the profession
and give you an extreme economic advantage in the mental health marketplace.

At first glance the idea of adopting sales principles conjures up images of
self-serving, manipulative tactics and ploys. As a result, a sales approach is
often the furthest from the mind of a mental health professional. However, this
position is misguided and comes from a limited understanding of sales theory and
practice in general. First and foremost, selling and the sales process is a
critical element in all areas of commerce. No business takes place without a
sales transaction of some sort or another. Mental Health services are not
utilized unless a sale is made and someone chooses to use a specific service,
you are not hired into a clinical position unless you effectively sell yourself
to the hiring manager, a private practice does not last long without consistent
sales for services, and funding for community programs is not awarded unless a
government entity is sold on the need and importance of those services. As a
result, our first step here is to acknowledge and accept that sales are a
critical part of the process in the mental health business.

Once we come to recognize this fact we must also dispel the myth about sales
being a sleazy and unethical profession that utilizes manipulative and
self-serving tactics at the expense of others. Like any profession, there are
theoretical frameworks and people within the business who would no doubt support
these negative stereotypes. However, when we take a closer look at the sales
profession we find that it can also be a highly sophisticated, philosophical and
value driven profession that is perfectly suited for the helping professions.

UNRAVELING THE SALES SKILL MYSTERY: ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES TO HELP YOU STAND OUT

Having taken a closer look at the importance and scope of sales our next logical
step is to explore sales theory and application in greater detail. I have
grouped various sales skills/approaches into 4 Core Principles in an effort to
help clarify and organize these concepts in a way that makes sense. I must also
emphasize that adopting these principles will quickly position you ahead of your
competitors! They are extremely powerful principles in that they all contribute
to a fundamental shift essential to success in business. What is this shift? The
shift I am referring to is a movement away from participating in the selling
process to becoming an important/critical part of the buying process. Lead sales
experts such as Dale Carnegie, Frank Rumbauskas, and Jeffery Gitomer all
emphasize the importance of this paradigm shift in order to achieve high levels
of success.

So what does it mean when you talk about moving from the selling process to the
buying process? Simply put, your current efforts to sell your services can be a
difficult and unrewarding process. At its core it is a process whereby you are
not in a position of strength, where you tend to focus on your own interests and
where you must seek out others and convince others to use your services. Now
what would life be like as a mental health practitioner if people recognized you
as an authority in the field or as someone who adds tremendous value and can
help them with their needs? When a change occurs where you are viewed as a
valuable resource and partner people begin to seek you out without any
soliciting on your part. Business comes to you and you find yourself in what
sales professionals refer to as being a key part of the buying process. The best
thing about this approach is that its foundation is based on integrity, honoring
your unique attributes, bringing value and helping others – all hallmarks of the
mental health profession.

Let me offer an example to clarify my point. Let’s say you are a mental health
clinician who has been in the field many years, you have an expertise in
family/child issues and you decide to offer a group on parenting skills. You
attend networking events but find that everyone at those events is pitching
their own service and not seeking services to buy. Attendees shower you with
praise and tout your service as “much needed” and “long overdue”, however, you
generate little to no business from those events. You advertise your group to
doctors offices and through basic networking channels such as local counseling
chapters and school systems. Still no one comes.

The issue here is not necessarily missing the mark in terms of community needs
nor is it an issue of skill and competence. People are not coming to you because
you have not tapped into the buying process. In the buying scenario, you have
built a level of credibility in the community and positioned yourself in such a
way that they must go through you in order to access these specific mental
health services. Your sales approach and philosophy prompts those in the
community to recognize you, talk about you and value you as an important
resource. In addition, you create communication channels/systems and remove
barriers/obstacles that encourage and allow others to take the next step toward
utilizing your services. If you can create this shift your ability to grow as a
practitioner multiplies exponentially and with half of the effort! The
principles outlined here all contribute to making that change.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these principles.

Principle 1: Be Solution/Customer Focused

Many people in all areas of business mistakenly take an approach where they sell
their services versus selling solutions. A distinguishing factor for most people
who are successful in their industry is that they are customer focused, meaning
they sell the way the customer wants to buy. They focus solely on the needs,
problems, wants of the customer and work to find solutions that will help that
customer. This concept sounds basic and simple, however, it takes dedication and
a high level of skill to be customer focused in the way I am referring to here.
Below are some key factors associated with this approach.

* Sell the way customers want to buy. (Take time to understand customer needs,
concerns, problems and wants. Show them you understand them and offer
solutions even if it means referring them to someone else who can help.)
* Give Value! (Use an altruistic approach. Deliver something to potential
customers without any expectation of something in return.)
* Recognize the only way you get others to do something is if you give them
what they want. (Manipulative tactics and high-pressure sales tactics do not
work. Be persuasive not manipulative and know the difference!)
* Go above and beyond and be remembered! (Over-deliver on services, give of
yourself to the community in unique ways, follow-through in ways that highly
impress.)
* Create a buying atmosphere. (Study customer needs, business systems and their
unique market. Provide solutions and remove barriers/obstacles that gives
them permission to buy.)
* The Power of Presence: Listen First, Talk Last and Ask Excellent Questions!
(It is the rare individual who truly focuses on the customer in the here and
now. Use your clinical skills to understand the needs of the customer.)

Principle 2: Build Credibility & Legitimacy

Do you want to attract high quality referrals for your business? Develop a plan
that will position you as an expert in targeted areas within your profession.

* Become an expert in something. And share that knowledge for free!
* Understand and study social dynamics and the psychology of power. (Know its
role in the sales process and in your profession. Use this knowledge to be in
a position of strength with regards to the buying process.)
* Build credibility and attract what you view as “high-quality referrals” by
giving yourself to the community. (e.g., free advice, free services, helpful
hints/tips.)
* Become Published. (Opportunities abound to become published – See Mark
Joyner’s e-book “Rise of the Author.” There is tremendous power in being
published.)
* Study the art of presenting and find opportunities to present. (This is
perhaps the best value proposition for you as a mental health professional!
It builds credibility and creates powerful networks.)

Principle 3: Think Long-Term

Too often we focus on short-term immediate business needs and neglect longer
lasting more powerful methods that lead to much greater growth. Focus on
relationships and you will create solid sales processes and networks that will
enable you to reach much higher levels of success.

* Stop focusing on the short term and work to build lasting relationships that
will lead to referrals and other opportunities.(Sales expert, Jeffrey
Gitomer, in his great sales book, The Little Red Book of Selling, says it
this way, “Think End of Time not end of Month.”)
* Focus on others first.(Help colleagues, community members and prospective
clients without expectation of something in return.)
* Always be a resource! (Offer assistance and solutions even if it has nothing
to do with your area of expertise. Leverage the expertise of others and share
the wealth! Helping professional colleagues will also lead to your long-term
success.)
* Let go of the need/want to benefit yourself and act with the intent of
helping others. (In today’s self-serving world it is the rare individual who
functions in this manner. And yet, it is a distinguishing factor in a
competitive marketplace.)
* Long-term strategies are equally effective in one’s career development as
they are in business development.(Strategies such as informational
interviewing and volunteering often lead to significantly better career and
advancement opportunities.)

Principle 4: Use Intelligent and Technically Advanced Marketing Systems

Top sales performers in all businesses create effective systems that free up
their time for more value driven activities and help create communication and
buying vehicles that produce a powerful buying environment for the customer.

* Leverage technology to market yourself and to create a buying
atmosphere.(e.g., website development, public relations & media opportunities
such as e-articles, e-books, audio programs, video snapshots.)
* Automate business activities that are non-essential to your core growth
opportunities. (Use technology to automate key activities and identify
personnel that can help you work more efficiently.)
* Build communities that allow for sharing of ideas and networking
opportunities. (e.g.,online forums, lunch & learns, supervision meetings.)
* Understand marketing principles that will effectively brand you.(Social
marketing and Viral Marketing are two powerful concepts that leverage the
incredible growth in technology. Learn these and others to increase your
growth as a successful mental health practitioner and businessperson!)
* Know the sales cycle for your profession and be persistent with your value
messages. (Market Research tells us it typically takes 6-10 exposures to your
message before a buying decision is made. Create vehicles that give you a
high level of visibility.)

IN CLOSING

The material presented here is merely an introduction to the powerful concepts
of selling and how they can be effectively utilized and integrated within a
mental health practice. Each of the areas outlined above contain a tremendous
amount of depth and richness that require further discussion and clarification
in order to gain the full benefits. In the coming months I will look at each
principle in greater detail in an effort to clarify concepts, introduce new
tools and offer excellent resources from some of the experts in the world of
sales and marketing.

Thank you for your attention and all the best in your future endeavors within
the field!

IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH AMONG YOUTH

Mental health is not merely the absence of mental illness, but it also the
ability to cope with the challenges in life. Mental health is as important as
physical health to everybody. Youths usually experiment with attitudes,
appearances, and behaviors. Most of their experiments are harmless, but some
experiments may have terrible results. Children and youths experience mental
health problem such as stress, anxiety, harassment, family problems, depression,
learning disability, etc. Serious mental health problems, such as self-injurious
behaviors and suicide, are increasing among youth.
A good mental health is essential for leading a good life. Youth cannot succeed
in academic and personal life effectively if they are struggling with a mental
health problem, such as depression or unsteady feeling due to academic, social
or family pressures.

Failure to detect youth’s mental health problem may result in negative
consequences such as increased risk for academic failure, social isolation,
unsafe sexual behavior, drug and alcohol abuse, suicide attempt, unemployment,
and poor health. A recent report says, The rising rates of mental and emotional
problems among U.S. children and youngsters signal a crisis for the country.

Depression, anxiety, attention deficit, conduct disorders, suicidal thinking,
and other serious psychological problems are striking more and more children and
youths. Conservative estimates say one in every ten children and adolescents now
suffers from mental illness severe enough to cause impairment.” Even if detected
earlier, unfortunately many children and youth do not receive the help they
need. Some reports are there that most children and youth who need a mental
health evaluation do not receive services and that the rates of use of mental
health services are also low.
Parents and adults must take care of the youth’s mental health. The parents and
adults must talk with the youth, be a good role models to them, advice them to
choose good friends, and monitor their activities.

There is a growing and unmet need for mental health services for children and
youth. Mental health services are important for student’s and youth’s success.
Prevention programs help in early identification of mental health problems in
youth. These programs provide education on mental health issues, violence
prevention, social skills training, harassment prevention, suicide prevention,
conflict resolution, and screening for emotional and behavioral problems. The
Family Guide Web sites are designed for parents and other adults to emphasize
the importance of family, promote mental health, and help prevent underage use
of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs.

Good mental health is very important for youth’s success. In order to emphasize
the importance of mental health in youth, the following steps can be taken:
Create awareness of child and youth mental health issues; provide a
comprehensive guide for effective and meaningful youth meetings for
organizations and professionals; and Conduct programs to generate awareness
about youth’s mental health in each communities. Awareness about the importance
of mental health issues among youth equally important to other physical issues,
such as heart disease, AIDS, cancer, etc. Local and state health officials must
draw more attention to the importance of mental health treatment of affected
children and youths.

Attention to youth’s mental health will more effectively improve their life
standard. This also positively impacts their academic and personal life
achievements. The families, society and youths benefit only when mental health
problems in youths are identified and prevented earlier.

IS MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS OR WELL BEING?

What does your mind conjure up when you see the words ‘mental health’? Yes, the
phrase does reek with all sorts of connotations doesn’t it!

When you think of the phrase Mental Health….. is it about

* People who are strange or not normal.
* Mental illness is a stigma or label to be avoided or kept quiet about
* Referring to issues of incapacity of the mind and behaviour
* A term that is a label to describe insanity, madness, weird people
* Pathologies like depression, schizophrenia.
* Or even the Mental Health department in your State’s Health Department?

The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of well-being in
which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal
stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a
contribution to his or her community.”

Not the first thing that comes into many people’s minds with that phrase is it?

Part of the problem is the actual term ‘mental health’ – it conjures up images
of illness, yet the word health is the opposite of illness – if we have health,
we have wellness, not illness.

Formally, it is a term used to describe either a level of cognitive or emotional
well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the
discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an
individual’s ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities
and efforts to achieve psychological resilience.

The problem lies in the term itself – it is not accurately descriptive of what
it means
So perhaps mental wellbeing or wellness is more to the point when encouraging or
doing something positive about your own inner health.

Mental good health can also be defined as an absence of a major mental condition
(for example, one of the diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, IV)
though recent evidence stemming from positive psychology suggests mental health
is more than the mere absence of a mental disorder or illness. Therefore the
impact of social, cultural, physical and education can all affect someone’s
mental health.

We live in a society that takes great care of physical health or well
being/wellness – look at the tremendous technological, pharmaceutical and
research advances occurring every day.

Consider all the resources for physical health we have put before us constantly
– weight loss programs and diets, gyms and exercise programs, fitness
activities, sports, obesity concerns, nutritional supplements and so on.

Yet where is the equivalent education and push for mental well being? We readily
take steps to ensure we avoid infections, injury and organic conditions (e.g.
heart) – yet what do we do to avoid negative effects on our mental wellness?

So do you think of your own inner health as it were? And take care of it?

This is critically important when you consider that depression and anxiety
affect so many, let alone more serious mental illness diagnoses.

In families, do we put as much conscious focus on mental well being as we do on
physical health. Many know lots about good physical well being activities, but
are we as informed about good mental health equivalents as we raise and teach
our kids.

And, what State doesn’t have under-funded mental health department?

We have lost the concept of an holistic approach to our bodies, lives and
society. We too readily compartmentalize – and put mental health into the too
hard basket or simply neglect it.

We have ‘abnormalized’ mental health, instead of seeing it as important to our
well being and a normal part of life – even if someone suffers from a mental
illness.

People who suffer adverse mental well being conditions are still ‘normal’ people
– just as an injured person is ‘normal, or just as a deaf person is normal.

SHOULD ALCOHOL TAXES PAY FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS? DO THE MATH

Improving the Mental Health SystemAccording to a news release that was dated May
9, 2006, the “Standing Senate Committee On Social Affairs, Science and
Technology” in Canada recommended the creation of a Canadian Mental Health
Commission that will be responsible for significantly upgrading the Canadian
mental health system. As stated by Senator Michael Kirby, the Chair of the
Committee, “The Senate Committee is committed to improving the range, quality
and organization of health and support services that are required by the tens of
thousands of Canadians who are living with mental illnesses and
addictions.”Funding The Proposed ChangeBased on an extensive three-year study on
mental health and addiction, the Committee determined that it will cost $5.36
billion over a 10-year period for this mental health system upgrade. Where will
these funds come from? According to the Committee, the revenue will come from
raising the excise tax on alcoholic drinks by 5 cents per drink.Part of the
rationale for the 5-cent increase per drink was obviously the goal of raising
the needed funds for the proposed changes in the mental health system. Another
justifying factor for the price increase, however, was the fact that since each
alcoholic drink will cost more, Canadians will be more inclined to drink
lower-alcohol products such as beer and wine instead of liquor.Let’s Do the
MathAt first glance, this proposal seems to make sense. Why shouldn’t those who
drink help finance a program that will provide them with a better mental health
system? Why not let those who are part of the “problem” become part of the
“solution”? This logic seems sound until you do the math. If $5.36 billion is
needed to help finance the upgraded mental health system, then how many drinks
will have to be consumed in a ten-year period to reach $5.36 billion dollars?
The answer: 107,200,000,000 drinks. That’s 107 billion, 200 million drinks.To
arrive at how many drinks this is per year, all we have to do is divide this
number by 10 (for the ten-year program) and the result is 10,720,000,000. This
is still a huge number that fortunately can be “massaged” even more. According
to The World Factbook website, the population of Canada was estimated to be 33
million people in 2006. Dividing 10,720,000,000 by 33,000,000 equals 325.
Putting this in terms that the average person can understand, every man, woman,
and child in Canada will have to consume 325 alcoholic drinks per year for the
next ten years to finance the new mental health system! Simply put, these
numbers are not realistic.More FlawsThe “logic” of this proposed mental health
program also breaks down when it is examined more deeply. For instance, why
would people drink lower-alcohol products such as beer if the increased excise
tax applies to all alcoholic drinks? To help understand this better, let’s use
an example. Let’s say that the average shot in Canada currently costs $3.00 and
the average beer costs $1.00. Based on the proposed price increase, if Joe
drinks an average of 5 shots per week, his weekly average alcohol expenditure
will be $15.25. When the numbers are calculated, this figures out to be 1.7%
more than Joe would have spent before the proposed tax increase. Let’s do a
similar exercise with beer. Based on the projected price increase, if Pete
drinks an average of 5 beers per week, his weekly average alcohol expenditure
will be $5.25. When the numbers are calculated, this figures out to be 5% more
than Pete would have spent before the proposed tax increase. The point: since
the proposed price increase affects higher-alcohol products (such as shots)
proportionately less than their lower-alcohol counterparts (such as beer), why
would Canadians switch to lower-alcohol products?Alcohol and Mental
HealthAnother question. What if tens of thousands of Canadians, realizing that
drinking alcohol is not good for their “mental health,” significantly reduce
their alcohol intake or quit drinking alcoholic beverages altogether? Where will
the money come from to offset this lack of revenue? In a similar manner, what if
thousands upon thousands of Canadians who drink alcoholic beverages decide that
they don’t want to pay the extra excise tax and, as a result, stop drinking
alcoholic beverages? If this happens, where will the government get the money
needed to transform the mental health system? In other words, does the Canadian
government have a realistic “plan B” for this major transformation?A Logical
ContradictionFrom a different perspective, isn’t it rather ironic that those who
drink alcoholic beverages will pay for the revamped mental health system? Isn’t
there a contradiction in logic somewhere in this proposal? Stated differently,
if tens of thousands of Canadians have mental illnesses or are addicted to
alcohol or drugs, wouldn’t the government want Canadians to drink LESS alcohol
in order to reduce the existing alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and alcohol-related
mental health problems? Yet according to the current mental health proposal,
from strictly a financial standpoint, it would appear that the Canadian
government is banking the entire mental health system upgrade on historical data
that strongly suggests that Canadians will continue to drink at their current or
even higher levels of consumption.Budgetary MiscalculationsWhat happens, for
instance, if there are cost overruns in the proposed mental health system? There
are, of course, two “easy” solutions to this problem: increase the excise tax on
each drink or motivate Canadians to drink even more alcoholic beverages. Either
“solution,” however, is predicated on the fact that in order to “work,” the
upgraded mental health system needs to be funded by Canadians who continue to
drink alcoholic beverages.ConclusionIt appears logical to conclude that the
Canadian mental health system is in need of a major overhaul. As with most
comprehensive government programs, however, the issue of funding becomes a major
obstacle to overcome. The proposed Canadian mental health system upgrade is no
exception. Based on the reasons given above, it seems obvious that the Canadian
government needs to come up with alternate sources of revenue generation for
this worthwhile project. Indeed, to point out one of the major “flaws” in the
current proposal, consider the following question: When is more drinking a “good
thing?” Answer: when it finances a nationwide mental health system upgrade.
Something tells me that Andy Rooney from “60 Minutes” would have a lot of fun
with this.Copyright 2007 – Denny Soinski. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint
Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links
active, do not edit the article in any way, and give the author credit.

MAY – NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH MONTH

National Mental Health Month began in April 1949 as Mental Health Week. It was
established to remind the public about the goals and activities of the nation’s
mental health programs. In the late ’60′s to increase public understanding of
mental health issues, National Mental Health Association, (NMHA) expanded the
week into a National Mental Health Month.During May the NMHA, its 330 affiliates
and numerous partners take time to educate the public about mental/emotional
health and mental/emotional dis-eases.If you or a member of your family has
never had to seek help for a mental/emotional problem then you probably are not
aware of the gross inequities in our private insurance system. Your health
insurance policy most likely contains provisions for mental health services.
Yet, upon examination, you will see that mental health coverage is not nearly as
comprehensive as that for physical illnesses. The majority of mental health
plans do not provide for the most effective healing modality–hypnosis.Contrary
to popular belief hypnosis is the most effective mental/emotional healing tool.
American Health Magazine reported the following results:o Hypnotherapy 93%
recovery after 6 sessionso Psychoanalysis: 38% recovery after 600 sessionso
Behavior Therapy: 72% recovery after 22 sessionsThe reality is that today’s
insurance policies are designed by accountants to discourage access to mental
health services. The irony of this policy is mind boggling as the root cause of
all physical dis-ease is mental/emotional distress.Two basic facts suggest the
magnitude of the problem. During the course of any year, 40 million American
adults and approximately 11 million children suffer some form of
mental/emotional dis-ease, 5.5 million adults become disabled by their
mental/emotional dis-ease.Holistic, Metaphysical, Energy or Mind, Body, Spirit
healing has existed since the beginning of time amid religious beliefs and
practices, along with the mystery, superstition, fear, and misunderstanding.
Holistic Healing is now becoming recognized regardless of what anyone chooses to
believe or think. Ask almost anyone about their spiritual well-being and they
will probably tell you, “Yeah, I am a spiritual person, I go to church
frequently.” Therein, the confusion arises out of the association of healing
with religion. The majority of people, including religious leaders, do not
understand the difference.Definition: “HEAL” 1. To restore to health or
soundness, 2. To set right, repair, 3. To restore a person to spiritual
wholeness, 4. To become whole and sound, to return to health.Definition:
“SPIRIT” 1. The vital principle or animating force within living beings,
Incorporeal consciousness. There are about twelve more elaborations mostly to do
with various religious implications.Definition: “RELIGION” 1. Belief in and
reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of
the universe, 2. A set of beliefs, values and practices based on the teachings
of a religious doctrine.Thus, based on Western Medicine’s common interpretations
of how things ‘ARE’, many paradoxes are created. The resultant effect is
confusion and un-wellness. The Truth, as Carl Jung and others have carefully
worded in their writing, is this: Every Thing in the universe is Energy and
Consciousness. How anyone thinks or feels about that Fact cannot change it. The
purpose of All religions is the recognition that humans have a part of
themselves that is not physical and there is a need to explore and experience
this aspect of themselves. Part of the intent is to discover one’s purpose and
to live in the best way possible. Another part of that goal also includes the
attainment of Truth and Spiritual Wellness. However, the result of religious
teachings with regard to our Spiritual health has been an abysmal failure. If
the most important aspect of our being is our Spiritual self, and it has been
neglected, it is a miracle we have existed this long.Mental/emotional issues can
be healed given the proper healing modality. If all mental/emotional dis-ease
was treated in an effective and timely manner physical illness would be thwarted
before it becomes a diagnosable issue.It is time to end the rampant
discrimination against the millions of Americans with mental/ emotional
distress. Tell your insurance company to include Holistic Health care. In the
end people will suffer less and insurance companies will save thousands of
dollars.

WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH? IS IT YOUR FAULT? CAN I RECOVER?

What is Mental Health?:Perhaps there is no clear-cut absolute definition, but of
course many thorough descriptions are available through well-known and reputable
web sites. A general description could be that mental health involves a broad
range of medical illnesses that have symptoms involving disorders of thought,
feeling and behaviour, and/or impairment in functioning in relation to a social,
psychological, genetic, chemical or biological disturbance.While thinking of
mental health, many people will immediately recognise disorders/ illnesses such
as depression, schizophrenia, bi-polar, and other disorders such as dementia.
But of course there are hundreds of different disorders (including the more
serious illnesses) as listed in the DSM4.There are particular theories which
believe that mental health (disorders etc.) is not a brain/chemical based means
of contributing to (or even partly the cause of) disorders in general. Others
certainly do recognise mental disorders or illnesses as having some biological
element or similar contributions (chemical etc.), which strongly relates to any
given mental health diagnosis. Others may interpret mental health as being
mentally ‘healthy’. Whatever any particular theories may suggest and without
delving into scientific reasoning and the like, mental health can be interpreted
as maintaining or striving to improve mental, cognitive and emotional well-being
and maintaining homeostasis (or balanced well-being).Whatever the exact actual
causes or reasons may be, mental health issues are a very real and relevant
topic of concern in our society and indeed in all of man-kind. Many people
nowadays do perceive mental health disorders as genuine medical disorders.
Perhaps we could look at mental health (disorders/ illnesses) as being mentally
unwell, or maybe not having any clinical diagnosis as being seen more as
‘mentally well’, but I personally like a theory which suggests that mental
‘health’ or ‘illness’ are not complete opposites. It covers a much broader area
than just not having any given diagnosis.So, regardless of varying definitions
and beliefs, it may be useful to look at ideas from different angles, but one
may assume that we would generally agree that mental health is a very in-depth
field, and the reality is that many people do have a clinical diagnosis.Mental
Illness- It’s Not Your Fault:From my own point of view, I remember when I was
first diagnosed with an anxiety disorder (later to become severe), it was a
relief to be told that it was not my fault. My brother who is a doctor told me
this, and coming from a professional, I felt quite relieved in that I knew that
I was not responsible for being born with a biochemical imbalance.There are
theories that state that situational or circumstantial elements can lead to a
disorder such as depression. Many argue though that in many or even all cases of
a mental health disorder (such as depression), numerous elements may contribute
to the cause. However, in disorders (whether it is OCD, depression, dementia,
schizophrenia or practically any disorder or illness) there is quite proven
medical evidence that there are biological or neurobiological contributions or
causes in relation to mental illness.So, by no means is acquiring a disorder
anybody’s fault, and certainly not yours if you are battling with a psychiatric
problem.Prognosis of Recovery:What are the chances of recovering? What disorders
or illnesses have a better prognosis? What about chances of relapse? How long
might it take to feel ‘normal’ again? These are some common questions yet none
of them have a simple answer. To put it briefly, some disorders are recognised
as having a better success rate in the recovery of ill health than others.
Illnesses such as Paranoid Schizophrenia are regarded as serious conditions and
generally do not have as high of a success or recovery rate of say someone
battling Depression (Ref. PEMH). Generally, Depression is regarded as treatable
and having a very good prognosis whereas other illnesses such as Schizophrenia
have estimations as high as one third of sufferers who remain unwell, therefore
the prognosis of recovery with particular illnesses such as this have a lower
rate in the expectation of reduced symptoms or recovery (Ref. PEMH). Recovery
may include several factors, not only including the diagnosis itself, but also
including other inter-twined theories of causes of psychiatric problems such as
the debate of nature versus nurture. Also, some people appear to recover, only
to find themselves relapsing, whereas others may be in remission and cope quite
well for long periods of time or perhaps the rest of their lives. Generally
though, different diagnosed conditions have varying
prognostication.References:PEMH- Practice Essentials Mental Health.

ARE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES COVERED BY HEALTH INSURANCE?

Does Major Medical Health Insurance Cover Mental Health Services? Many people
are concerned about paying for mental health services. They know that they get
these services from health professionals, or sometimes by medical doctors, and
so they want to know if their health plan will help cover them. The answer to
the question for any particular individual is, of course, it depends.Group Major
Medical From A JobMany group major medical policies do provide employees with
comprehensive coverage. This may include mental health coverage. Other employers
may provide these services under another benefit program. If you get your
medical benefits at work, you need to consult your policy or ask the human
resources department. Some companies will post free, confidential phone numbers
for employees who would like to seek help.If it is not an emergency, it is safer
to get an treatment pre-approved. This way you will know how much the group
health plan will pay and how much you have to pay out of pocket.Individual
Health Insurance People with individual or family policies my not have
comprehensive mental health benefits. Even though private insurers cannot cancel
a policy because a covered person develops a condition, many will refuse an
initial application because of mental illness. The new health reform bill should
make it so people cannot be refused a policy for pre-existing conditions in the
future, but this part has not been implemented yet.How To Get Low Cost Mental
Health Treatment Without Insurance And A Lot Of Money Mental health services can
be very expensive, especially if you need to pay for private treatment. Many
people who need help need to return for repeated therapy, treatment, or
prescriptions too. But there are many resources to help people get free or
reduced cost treatment. The problem is that a lot of people who need treatment
may not know how to look for help! One other problem is that many people who
need help may fear they lack the funds to pay for expensive therapists or
doctors.Online Mental Health Treatment LookupsYou can find a couple of very good
free and low cost clinic finders online. These services can help you find all
sorts of medical centers, and this includes mental health centers. Both the
Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPARX.org) and the US Department of
Health and Human Services provide handy zip code searches.You enter your zip
code, and then a maximum distance you would like to travel. The online system
will display any free or reduced fee clinics in your area. If you cannot find
the right service very close to home, you may have to expand your search a
bit.Get Help On The PhoneIf you do not have access to the internet, or if you
are trying to get help for another person, there is also a toll free number that
can provide help for people who need help. This is the national suicide and
emotional distress hot line. This number is: 1-800-273-TALK This phone number
can put you in touch with 24/7, free, confidential phone help. They can also
direct you to one of hundreds of crisis centers in the US.Community Resources On
other place to look for help is at local community centers or charities. Some
have social workers on staff or can direct you to other local resources where
you can get help. Your local pastor should also have this information, and maybe
he or she can draw upon resources from a congregation.

* RECENT POSTS

* Mental Health Perceptions in Today’s Society
* Are Physical and Mental Health Linked?
* Mental Health Stigma
* Sales Principles & The Mental Health Profession – Strategies That Lead To
Success In The Marketplace
* Importance of Mental Health Among Youth

* ARCHIVES

* May 2023
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* February 2023
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