Behavioral Health Articles

Prevention, Mental Health, and YOU

by Garra Lloyd-Lester

Over the past few decades, there have been striking changes in the way providers and consumers of health care view wellness. One of these changes is the realization that we as individuals can and should actively participate in maximizing our own health and general well-being. In this age of informed and empowered citizens, education regarding the prevention of serious diseases and health risks is commonplace. For example, parents today are routinely involved in standard pre-natal care, including being given information and strategies on the prevention of certain health-related condition and concerns.

This emphasis on prevention and early identification of health-related issues continues for both parent and child from preschool all the way into adulthood and covers a broad range of health-related topics. However, there is one topic in the list of preventable health risks that is noticeably absent in many prevention or early identification discussions: the topic of mental illness.

It is not for lack of information that mental illness, as well as emotional and behavioral health concerns, go widely unaddressed. Rather, it is the continuing misconceptions and stigma associated with mental illness that quite often discourage people from seeking help through treatment or other means of support.

We think nothing of taking our children to get vaccinated against diseases such as polio or smallpox: diseases that until recently killed or severely impacted tens of thousands of lives around the world. Yet imagine not taking your child to get these immunizations, for fear of being discriminated against or otherwise being labeled as defective. Or imagine an elderly person not going through with a recommended cancer screening, for fear that if the results were positive, people would blame them. Although these scenarios may seem unimaginable, many individuals and family members struggling with mental illness will avoid seeking help for just these reasons.

Just as we fully embrace participating in activities that can prevent a host of diseases and injuries, so too can we take an active role in preventing mental illness. And just as there are screenings available for individuals who might be at risk for certain diseases because of family history or other factors, similar screening tools exist for the early identification of mental illness. And just as many diseases and other health-related problems can be effectively treated and their effects minimized, the same can be said for treatments for mental illness.

If, as a society, we embraced the ideas of prevention, early identification, and treatment of mental illness, as we do with other health related issues, the savings both emotionally and financially would be almost beyond measure.

How can we begin to change things? What can you do to make a difference? The first step begins with education. No matter what roles you fulfill day in and day out, from parent to professional, or from high school senior to senior citizen, educating yourself about topics such as mental health, mental illness, myths and realities, prevention, treatment, and recovery will allow you to become that much more of an active participant in your own general health and well-being and, in turn, in the lives of those you love.

For more information on understanding the effects of stigma on mental illness and for some resources available to help fight it, go to www.stopstigma.samhsa.gov. Some sites that provide information on mental illness for families and consumers include www.promoteprevent.org, www.nmha.org and www.apa.org. These are just a few of the many sources of information available on the Internet. To find out about services in the Cortland area or Central New York, call (607) 758-6100 and ask for Garra Lloyd-Lester.

Garra Lloyd-Lester is the Youth Services Development Director at Cortland County Mental Health.