Symptoms of a Drug Prescription
Drugs ♥ Mom’s Story
Mental Health
May 2, 2024 by Nikki and Anne Heart ♥ Mom’s Story: Mental Health
Although we wrote this post together, we have chosen to present the following through Mom’s eyes.
Awareness about Mental Health
Every day my eyes seem to open up more to mental health issues.
Not only in my own family, but in the world around me.
And to be frank, what I see isn’t all that great.
Realization about Mental Health
One of the biggest problems facing mental health issues I believe is the stigma surrounding it.
This stigma carries through our culture like a plague.
It surrounds us in the medical community, in the workplace, within family and friendships.
Unfortunately, because of this stigma, those that are affected by mental illness silently suffer in pain.
Stigma surrounding Mental Health
Frequently:
- Mental disorders are not always treated as real illnesses.
- Many still believe it isn’t something serious, it can be brushed off, and those suffering just aren’t trying hard enough. The reality is that this is far from the truth.
Consequences:
- Far too often when opening up about how you are feeling, may cause negative consequences such as loss of friendships and job opportunities.
- Even though discrimination is frowned on, it still happens in the workforce as well as the medical community.
- It can be unbelievable to think there is biased medical treatment for individuals suffering from mental illness. But I have witnessed it time and time again with the healthcare treatment my daughter received within hospitals and other medical facilities.
- Sadly to say, I still witness the lack of understanding for my daughter’s illness throughout my family.
- Regrettably, these are very common occurrences by those suffering from mental illnesses.
Outcome:
- Person experiencing mental illness becomes isolated.
- They can’t or won’t receive the necessary treatment.
- Their mental health increasingly worsens.
Facts about Mental Health
There are many different types of mental illness/disorders including:
- Mood disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Panic disorder
- Personality disorder
- Phobias
- Post-Traumatic Stress disorder
- Psychotic disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Self-Harm
- Suicide
- Bipolar disorder
- Compulsive gambling
- Substance Abuse disorders
- Delirium
All of these types are real. Each one affects an individual differently. Sometimes a mental illness or disorder can last a short period of time. While others, may lead to a life-time filled with challenges.
Treatment for Mental Health
There are many different types of treatment programs.
- Each treatment plan should depend on the individual and the mental health disorder.
- It is important to recognize that everyone is different.
- A treatment plan for depression will be different than a treatment plan for substance abuse.
- Similarly, a treatment plan for mild depression will be different than one for suicidal ideation.
In any case, a treatment plan should include:
- Implementing self-care techniques
- Maintaining a healthy diet
- Limiting alcohol and recreation drug consumption
- Personalized therapy program
Final thoughts about Mental Health
First, AWARENESS:
- Be conscious that everyone is different.
- Reactions to situations and substances are different for each individual.
- Genetics, biological, environmental and socioeconomic factors are different for everyone.
Second, ACKNOWLEDGING:
- There are no quick fixes.
- Mental health may be a life-time commitment, but it doesn’t have to be life consuming.
- Prescription medications may cause or intensify mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, irritability, judgement and anger. Or can create illnesses such as bipolar disorder, tardive dyskinesia, or memory impairment.
Third, RECOGNIZING:
- Even though it isn’t cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc. mental illness is still a very real illness.
- We must learn to treat people with mental illness as people, not someone to lock away and be forgotten about. Or someone we can just toss to the side.
- People that suffer the physical and mental pain from a mental illness, may need more help and support at times. We need to accept and support their pain.
Let’s do more…
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH
MAY 2024
Access a Digital Toolkit for Mental Health Awareness Month at the National Institute of Mental health.
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Note: All information in “Nikki’s Story” are based on detail journals covering seven years of Nikki’s life on prescription drugs.
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