Good Mental Health Makes Good Sense

A public education program presented by the South Carolina Department of Mental Health and developed by the Elimination of Barriers

Initiative of the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services.

What Are Mental Health Problems?

• Health conditions that can affect anyone

• Mental health and mental illness can be pictured as two points along a continuum

• More severe mental health problems include mental illnesses such as:

– Depression– Schizophrenia– Anxiety disorders

Why Is Mental Health an Important Issue?

• Good mental health makes good sense.

• Mental health problems affect almost every American family

• People with mental health problems make important contributions to their communities

• Recovery is common

• Stigma and discrimination prevent people with mental health problems from getting housing, jobs, and education as well as prevent people from seeking needed help

Recovery

• Recovery refers to the process in which people are able to:– Live– Work– Learn– Participate fully in their

communities

How Do People Recover?

• Recovery happens by people learning more about mental health problems, taking control of their own health care, and by working with mental health providers, peers, friends, family, colleagues, and classmates

• Having hope and support plays an integral role in recovery

What Is Stigma?

A mark of shame or discredit

Unfortunately, many incorrectly think that people living with mental health problems are violent, unpredictable, and unable to recover or succeed

Stigma

“Stigma leads to isolation and discourages people from seeking the treatment they need.”

 — President George W. Bush

April 28, 2002

Myths vs. Facts

• Myth: Mental health problems cannot affect me.

• Fact: Mental health problems do not discriminate—they can affect anyone from all ages and all walks of life.

Myths vs. Facts (2)

• Myth: There’s no hope for people with mental health problems.

• Fact: There are more effective treatments, strategies, and community supports than ever before, and even more are on the horizon.

Myths vs. Facts (3)

• Myth: People with mental health problems can’t hold jobs.

• Fact: Many are productive employees and contributing members of their communities.

Stigma and Discrimination

• Misconceptions can lead to discrimination, which can prevent people with mental health problems from:

– Seeking treatment– Getting a job– Finding housing– Taking advantage of

opportunities

Recovery Can Be More Difficult for People From

Minority Groups

• Less access to care

• Often poorer quality of care

• Underrepresented in research

Cultural Factors Can Also Contribute

• Racism and discrimination is stressful

• Ethnic and racial communities are often exposed to poverty, and people at the lowest socioeconomic levels are 2 to 3 times move likely to have a mental disorder

African-Americans and Mental Health

• In the community, rates of mental illness similar to whites

• However, higher rates of homelessness and incarceration, leading to higher overall rates of mental illness

• Less access to mental health care than whites

• Less likely to receive treatment

• More frequent misdiagnosis

African-Americans and Mental Health (2)

• Approximately 54% of Americans believe that depression is a “personal weakness”

• In comparison, approximately 63% of African-Americans believe that depression is a “personal weakness”

American Indians and Alaska Natives

• Research is limited, but suggests that youth and adults have higher rates of mental health problems and disorders

• Suicide rate is 50% higher than the national rate

• Availability of care severely limited by poverty, isolation of communities; 20% do not have health insurance, vs. 14% of whites

• Many use traditional healing

Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders

• Prevalence of mental illnesses is about the same as other Americans

• However, nearly half experience language barriers when seeking services

• Stigma and shame are major barriers to getting help

• Asian-American women have one of the highest suicide rates among all women between 15-24 years of age

Hispanic-Americans

• Hispanic youth have higher rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms and suicide attempts than other minority groups

• Hispanic-Americans are the least likely of ethnic groups to have health insurance

• After diagnosis, less than 18% actually access mental health services

• Most Hispanic-Americans seek services from their primary health care providers

Older Americans and Mental Health

• Mental health problems are not a normal part of aging

• The rate of suicide is highest among older adults compared to any other age group

• The suicide rate for persons 85 years and older is twice the national rate

Mental Health in the Workplace

• Approximately 23% of the workforce experiences a mental health problem annually

• 66% of workers who have mental illnesses have not sought treatment

Children and Serious Emotional Disturbances

• In any given year, 5-9% of children have a serious emotional disturbance (SED)

• Children with SEDs have a school dropout rate of 50% in comparison to 30% of all students with disabilities

• Early intervention can have a significant impact on the lives of children with SEDs

Why Should You Care?• It could affect you:

Your friend, family member, neighbor, coworker, or even you could experience a mental health problem.

• It’s about fairness:Discrimination in our society is not acceptable. You don’t accept it in other areas of society.

• It’s preventable:Stigma can be prevented through education, understanding, and action.

Where People First Seek Help

Family and

Friends

PrescriptionMedication

0.2%

Non-PrescriptionMedication

3%

Institutional Facility

7%

Psychiatrist8%

Religious Figure (Priest, Minister, Rabbi)

9%

Therapist/Counselor

10%

GeneralMedicalDoctor

16%

47%

What You Can Do To Counter Stigma

• Adopt a “no-stigma” policy at home, at the workplace, at school, at play, and in the community

• Treat people with mental health problems as you would anyone else, with respect and dignity

• Avoid labeling people by their diagnosis

What You Can Do To Counter Stigma (2)

• Teach children that mental health is a part of their health and well-being

• Help develop community services to support people with mental health problems

• Take personal responsibility by becoming a positive role model

What You Can Do To Counter Stigma (3)

• Research shows that peer-based contact and cooperative interaction with people is the most effective way to counteract prejudice

• Create opportunities to meet and get to know people who have mental illnesses

• Realize that statistically, it’s very likely that you already know someone with a mental illness

For more information about South Carolina, please call or visit

us on the Web.

1(800) 765-1024

www.scdmh.org