May is for Mental Health Awareness

May is for Mental Health

Something seems to be changing in the mental health landscape in the US and around the world. More people are feeling anxious, lonely, and stressed out and are confused about how to address their issues. May is the month when public and private institutions and local communities engage in awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of caring for our mental health and supporting those with mental illness. Despite these campaigns, people may not realize how common mental health challenges are. The fact is that one out of five people in the US live with a mental illness. Also, one out of five youth aged 13-18 is currently living with or has struggled with debilitating mental health issues in the past. In the U.S., one in 25 adults struggles with a severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression (1). According to the World Health Organization, one in four people will suffer from a mental health problem in their lifetime. Despite available professional help, only about a third of people seek treatment. The symptoms of mental health challenges include changes in a person’s behavior, sleep, energy levels, emotions, work or school performance, and relational patterns. Without treatment, symptoms may worsen, leading to illness, disability, and impairment. 

Mental illness can affect anyone regardless of age, race, ethnic background, gender, or socioeconomic status. However, certain types of mental health challenges may be more prevalent in groups with higher risk factors, such as poverty, oppression, disability, and inequality (2). This article examines why prioritizing our mental health in 2024 is more important than ever, bringing awareness to significant trends and encouraging intentional engagement with these challenges.

Our Mental Health Is Getting Worse

Unless you have been living off the grid on your private island surrounded by an oasis of perfect people, you may have encountered someone who struggled with a mental health issue just in the last week. In the old days, parents' stress was typically linked to the mundane tasks of raising children, paying bills, and meeting external social obligations. As the world becomes more modernized and complex, the sources of stress have multiplied, and dealing with them is more cumbersome. This can be observed in the increased levels of mental illness among youth. 

The rate of death from suicide for youth ages 15-24 in the US has more than tripled between 1950 (6.5%) and 2016 (20.5%) (3). Between 2009 and 2019, there was an increase of 40% in the number of high school students who reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. The number of students who considered and attempted suicide also increased by 36% and 40%, respectively (4). The US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has been outspoken about mental health challenges, highlighting worsening trends of depression, anxiety, and suicide in youth populations and highlighting the dangers of overuse of social media and the epidemic of loneliness (5). Other sources of distress are linked to natural disasters, effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical unrest, overexposure to social media, experiences of oppression, discrimination, and racism, proliferation of street drugs, and economic strife. 

Stigma is Decreasing, but there is More Work to Do

Stigma toward mental illness has decreased due to increased awareness, but there is still so much work to be done. Celebrities, TV talk show hosts, and social media influencers are more outspoken about mental health challenges. Obtaining psychotherapy and mental health treatment are not as widely seen as taboo, especially among the younger generation. In the ongoing trend of reducing stigma, the US government passed the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act in 2008. This law prevents health insurance companies from imposing restrictions on mental health treatment that are more stringent than those for other medical conditions, such as limiting treatment, copays, and deductibles (6). The prominence of mental health in political and social media spaces also reflects a growing acceptance of mental health as an integral part of overall health.

Nevertheless, in the African diaspora community, many barriers to receiving timely and quality mental health care still exist. Some may distrust the health care systems due to past experiences of discrimination in care. Others do not trust the use of prescription medications or may have biases about therapy. Other practical barriers include the financial burden and the lack of adequate health insurance to cover the cost of care. Stigma also resides in culturally encapsulated notions of the cause of mental illness which are often associated with witchcraft or demon possession. These barriers often result in delays or avoidance in obtaining timely and quality mental health care. A study found that people of African descent who are diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder are more impaired and persistently ill compared with their Caucasian counterparts. The lack of timely interventions can lead to severe outcomes like suicidal thoughts or self-harm behaviors (7).

Our overuse of technology is worsening our mental health.

The rapid advancement of technology has created tremendous conveniences for work, economic opportunity, and connectedness. From the internet to smartphones and now AI, people are now more connected and informed than ever before in history. The COVID pandemic only accelerated this trend, affecting every industry, from retail and finance to healthcare and mainstream media. Remote work is now the norm for many people who can now work collaboratively across long distances. Robots are starting to replace mundane and repetitive jobs. However, the overuse and overreliance on some of these technologies can negatively affect our mental health. The sheer volume and pace of innovation can lead to increased stress and disorientation, which Alvin Toffler aptly coined "Future Shock." He describes the physical and psychological impacts of our limited adaptability to rapid societal changes, noting that technological advances often outpace our ability to adapt (8).  

The emergence of AI technology continues to propel rapid changes, making it difficult for people and companies to adapt, resulting in increased stress as they retool or educate themselves to stay competitive. A US sociobiologist Edward O. Wilson said, “The problem with humanity is the following; we have paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology.”  The fast pace of technological advancements increases our stress as we try to adapt. This stress manifests psychologically, leading to higher levels of burnout, depression, anxiety, loneliness, apathy, and nihilism. Social media overuse exacerbates mental health issues. A study of college students found that social media use worsened anxiety and depression due to fear of missing out, hyperconnectivity, comparison culture, reduced face-to-face interactions, impaired social skill development, and decreased inhibition of antisocial behavior (9). To mitigate the effects of these changes, people are encouraged to be more proactive in caring for their mental health. Here are some actions we can take to improve our mental health.

Proactive Measures for Mental Health in 2024

Our quest to improve mental health in 2024 may involve stepping out of our comfort zones, initiating new activities, or taking chances to be more vulnerable in our relationships. Some of these changes may involve facing our own pain and acknowledging our difficulties. We may need to become more conscious and self-aware of our thought processes and behaviors. The suggestions mentioned below are steps we can take to decrease stress and build resilience (10).

1. Increased awareness about mental health challenges: Managing common mental health issues such as anxiety and depression is crucial. While we don't all need to become practitioners, understanding how our thoughts, emotions, physical well-being, environment, and relationships impact us is important. 

2. Developing supportive relationships with caregivers: As social animals, humans have always found safety in numbers and familiarity as social animals. Therefore, it is beneficial for us to make an effort to build or mend relationships within our communities, fostering a sense of wellness and connectedness.

3. Getting enough high-quality sleep: Adequate sleep is crucial as it helps us process information, regulate emotions, reduce stress, and enhance our learning and decision-making abilities.

4. Balanced nutrition: The adages "We are what we eat" and "food is medicine" underscore the connection between our diet and physical and emotional health. Modern medicine increasingly highlights the importance of consuming balanced meals. We are encouraged to include healthy proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, proper hydration, and minimizing processed food, which contribute significantly to overall well-being.

5. Regular physical activity: Physical activity can effectively combat anxiety and depression. Regular exercise also reduces the risk of numerous diseases, such as obesity, heart disease, stroke, and cognitive decline. 

6. Mindfulness: Mindfulness practices enhance focus, reduce judgment, and foster curiosity about our inner experiences. They can also result in feelings of wellness, gratitude, and harmony, which improve our mental health. Prayer, meditation, yoga, and deep breathing can be incorporated into our daily lives to improve our mental health. 

7. Experiencing nature: Nature is known to decrease stress as long as we don’t take our phones and devices along, giving us time to slow down and disconnect from the world's noise. Nature also calms the nervous system based on our physical connection with the earth through grounding.

8. Obtaining professional help: In cases where mental health challenges are severe, the services of a mental health professional are required. Treatment often includes a combination of education, psychotherapy, lifestyle changes, and sometimes the prescription of medication. Treatment from trained professionals such as psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, psychologists, social workers, psychotherapists, and other trained coaches, counselors, peers, and advocates. 

When faced with overwhelming odds, rather than giving in to hopelessness, powerlessness, and apathy, it helps to understand that we are not alone. Although the points mentioned above may not change the pace of technological progress, mitigate the effects of global warming, resolve geopolitical strife, or reverse the inequities within our health and economic systems, they equip us with the resilience needed to face these challenges with courage and strength. We can support legislative efforts to improve equity and reduce strife in our society while doing what we can at a personal level to care for ourselves and our loved ones.  There has never been a better time to care for your mental health. Let 2024 be the year we decide to take action. 

References: 

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Learn about mental health. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm

2. World Health Organization. (2001, September 28). The World Health Report 2001 - Mental disorders affect one in four people. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news/item/28-09-2001-the-world-health-report-2001-mental-disorders-affect-one-in-four-people

3. National Center for Health Statistics. (2017). Health, United States, 2017. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2017/030.pdf

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). MMWR Supplements: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance — United States, 2021. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/su/su7103a3.htm

5. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). Protecting Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-youth-mental-health-advisory.pdf

6. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity. Retrieved from https://www.cms.gov/marketplace/private-health-insurance/mental-health-parity-addiction-equity

7. Orsolini, L., Valchera, A., Vecchiotti, R., Tomasetti, C., Iasevoli, F., Fornaro, M., ... & Martinotti, G. (2014). Suicide during Perinatal Period: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Clinical Correlates. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 7, 138. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00138

8. Toffler, A. (1970). *Future shock*. New York: Random House.

9. Oberle, E., Ji, X. R., Guhn, M., Schonert-Reichl, K. A., & Gadermann, A. M. (2019). Screen time and extracurricular activities as risk and protective factors for mental health in adolescence: A population-level study. Preventive Medicine Reports, 14, 100869. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.100869

10. ACEs Aware. (n.d.). Clinical assessment and treatment. Retrieved from https://www.acesaware.org/ace-fundamentals/clinical-assessment-and-treatment/

Written by Arnold Fosah

Edited with the help of AI

Photo by Marcel Strauß via Unsplash