Understanding the Importance of Mental Health

 Nobody can deny the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting challenges have negatively affected many people’s mental health. In fact, during the pandemic, about 4 in 10 adults in the United States have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder. Here is some more information about mental illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control. 

What is mental illness?

Mental illnesses are conditions that affect a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, or behavior, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. Such conditions may be occasional or long-lasting (chronic) and affect someone’s ability to relate to others and function each day.

What is mental health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, poor mental health and mental illness are not the same things. A person can experience poor mental health and not be diagnosed with a mental illness. Likewise, a person diagnosed with a mental illness can experience periods of physical, mental, and social well-being.

Why is mental health important for overall health?

Mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health.  Mental illness, especially depression, increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Similarly, the presence of chronic conditions can increase the risk for mental illness.

Can your mental health change over time?

Yes, it’s important to remember that a person’s mental health can change over time, depending on many factors.  When the demands placed on a person exceed their resources and coping abilities, their mental health could be impacted. For example, if someone is working long hours, caring for an ill relative or experiencing economic hardship they may experience poor mental health.

How common are mental illnesses?

Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States. More than 50% will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime.3

• 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year.

• 1 in 5 children, either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness.

• 1 in 25 Americans lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.

What causes mental illness?

There is no single cause for mental illness. A number of factors can contribute to risk for mental illness, such as:

• Early adverse life experiences, such as trauma or a history of abuse (for example, child abuse, sexual assault, witnessing violence, etc.)

• Experiences related to other ongoing (chronic) medical conditions such as cancer or diabetes.

• Biological factors, such as genes or chemical imbalances in the brain

• Use of alcohol or recreational drugs

• Having few friends

• Having a feeling of loneliness or isolation

Counseling Services 

PrimaryPlus-Counseling Services originated in the spring of 2012, as a quest to continuously grow our service list for our patients—helping them to be healthy both physically and mentally. The team of Debroah M. Weber, LCSW and Gary Zornes, LCSW guide our Counseling Service program with the highest level of trust, compassion and care for our patients. PrimaryPlus-Counseling Services is a safe, soothing environment providing patients a voice, a listening ear and a friendly confidant. Services include:

• Depression

• Grief

• PTSD

• Stress Management

• Mood Disorders

• Codependency

• Domestic Violence

• Marriage & Family Therapy

• And More

Appointments can be made by calling: 606-759-0490 or 606-385-2090, no referral needed.

 

PrimaryPlus accepts most commercial insurance plans, Medicare; All KY Medicaid Plans, OH Medicaid (CareSource & Molina) and also offers a Sliding Fee Scale program for those with an inability to pay. PrimaryPlus is excited to announce our partnership with PursueCare for extended services such as psychiatric and Medication Assisted Therapy for addiction treatment.  Contact PrimaryPlus-Counseling Services at 606-759-0490 for complete details on the program.

 PrimaryPlus offers a complete range of services for the entire family including family health, pediatrics, and women’s health—truly a one-stop-shop caring for everyone in the family—moms, dads, babies, tweens, teens, grandma, grandpa, etc.  PrimaryPlus-Ashland is proud to partner with the University of Kentucky's Blue Angels program which provides High-Risk Ultrasound and Maternal-Fetal Medicine utilizing the joys of technology connecting patients and healthcare providers through telemedicine. PrimaryPlus-Ashland is ALWAYS WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS! Visit us online today for more information and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook. 

Sources:

https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/

https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm#:~:text=Mental%20health%20includes%20our%20emotional,others%2C%20and%20make%20healthy%20choices.&text=Mental%20health%20is%20important%20at,childhood%20and%20adolescence%20through%20adulthood.