May is Mental Health Month; a time to raise awareness, fight stigma, provide support, educate the public. At PACE Recovery Center, our primary focus is treating addiction and coöccurring mental health disorders; we have made a commitment to do all that we can to end stigma and encourage individuals to seek help. Over the course the month we will cover a number of topics regarding mental illness, addiction, and stigma with the hope of helping those still struggling to understand they are not alone. We know your suffering and grasp the difficulty of reaching out for help.
Only 41% of adults in the U.S. with a mental health condition received mental health services in the past year, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Among adults with a serious mental illness, 62.9% received mental health services in the past year. It is worth noting that more than half (10.2 million) of people living with a substance use disorder also have a co-occurring mental illness. What’s more, recovery is dependent upon treating both disorders simultaneously; there is no way around it, ignoring one condition will compromise the efforts made in treating the other.
One of the most significant obstacles standing in the way of treatment is stigma; in fact, stigma prevents the 1 in 5 Americans with mental health conditions from seeking help, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). When the general public doesn’t have all the facts, as is the case with brain diseases, people base their opinions on what it “seems” is going on with an individual. Large swaths of society believe that those suffering can choose to look at things differently; as if they can just walk-off their mental illness like a skinned knee and get back into the game of life.
Together, We Can #CureStigma
In reality, mental illness is not a choice! When people come to conclusions without the facts, it has a parasitic effect and creates an environment of shame, fear, and silence. When individuals don’t seek help because they worry about what other people think, it is a detriment to all. The overall wellbeing of society, like the links of chain, is only as healthy as it’s sickest citizens. When those suffering can’t access help, everyone pays the price in some way. It is worth remembering that there is not a single person on the planet who doesn’t know or care for someone with a mental illness; rarely is a family spared of the consequences of mental health conditions. 1 in 5 adults in the United States lives with a mental illness.
Even when there are mental health problems in the family, it is not uncommon for some members to view the afflicted negatively. What ends up happening is that the person suffering convinces his or her self that their illness is a byproduct of doing something wrong. As a result, such people shroud their behaviors in secrecy and are less likely to seek help for fear of judgment and ridicule. We cannot stress enough the importance of resisting the temptation to act in such ways in response to the ill-conceived notions of others; on the other hand, it is vital that everyone take some time and evaluate their views about mental illness.
Mental Health Month CureStigma Quiz
Examining your behaviors toward people living with mental illness and making adjustments (if necessary) can go a long way; doing your part to avoid contributing to the stigma of mental health disorders can save lives. NAMI believes that stigma towards mental illness is 100 percent curable, and there is a simple way to determine if stigma has infected you, take the CureStigma Quiz.
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Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment
If you are a young man struggling with addiction and a coöccurring mental health disorder, PACE Recovery Center can help. Our team of dual diagnosis experts can teach you the skills and provide you the necessary tools for leading a productive life in recovery. Please contact us today to learn more about our program.
