Stepping up the mental health discussion

[milwerica]

Mental health has a stigma. Nobody wants to talk about it because everybody feels like they are the only one suffering. I want the world to know mental health is important. I would like to give mental health a platform and an open and free space to talk as loud as it wants. There is nothing wrong with feeling "out of sorts". It is how a person copes with the "out of sorts" that makes a difference. Society needs to start communicating on how they cope with stress and anxiety. Learning from each other is important. Though no one talks about it because being "out of sorts" is taboo. I want to help facilitate an open environment for the discussion of mental health.

Providers, and society in general, are more apt to talk about diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. When anxiety, depression or eating disorders is mentioned a hushed tone appears. Almost a look of failure appears on the patient's face. Like they are not "good enough" to be "normal."

I want us to shout from the roof tops we are all have a bit of "crazy" in us. We all handle the "crazy" a different way. Maybe we need to not work as many hours at work, how about exercise, or maybe a day at home in bed drinking hot chocolate watching the movie "Frozen" and learning to just "let it go." Life is how we perceive it and society needs to perceive mental health as an open and free topic to discuss.

We are a fast paced, over worked, understaffed and under paid society. Companies have yearly goals and growth expectations. Employees are pushed further and further to perform faster and more efficient. Days off of work are shied upon. Nobody has "time" to be home from work. Vacation is now used for "sick" days. Now being sick is a punishment to not be able to go on a well deserved vacation. This leads to more stress, anxiety and fatigue. Leading to a hostile work environment, anger with our co-workers that are able to keep up and frustration that we have to work harder for the coworker that is out "sick" for the day.

I find many in my office wanting something to calm them down. Something to help them "focus." Something to allow them to work 60 hours a week, be a mother/father of kids, keep the house spotless and be "involved" in school activities. I start the conversation with "why is all of this so important and what can give to help you cope?" Most of the time the answer is "nothing can give I HAVE to do this." I then discuss "pills don't teach skills."

As a society we want to "pop a pill" to feel better without trying. We have to stop looking to pills to cure our insecurities. Medication has a role, don't get me wrong, but we need an open and honest dialogue to help those that struggle know they are not alone. Keeping up with the Jones's or I guess now it is the Kardashian's, is our societies downfall. The "reality TV" should really show what is behind those walls. A torn family, alcoholism, drug abuse and chaos.

The nursing field needs to step up the game to help facilitate the mental health dialogue. Care and compassion is the focus of nursing and we as a profession are unique to open and guide the "acceptance" of mental health in society. Please take a moment to sit back and reflect on how you, as part of society, can help transform the mental health discussion.

[BettyDear]

[COLOR=#000000]I couldn't agree more...as nurses we can work to help end the stigma of mental illness. I'm just unsure of how to go about doing it. I originally signed into allnurses today to reach out to other nurses working with community psych teams to share experiences; what works, what doesn't, how to make the job more reasonable while providing best quality of care. Driving home from 8 day stretch of work I counted up my time and realized I had put in 102 hours. Between staff out on vacation/extended sick leave and remainder of staff being overwhelmed and just kinda "checking out" it has been quite a doozy of a week. Like many nurses when called upon I will sacrifice my own wellness to safeguard the health of those in my care. Am I really doing anyone any favors though?...no. Like many who work in the MH field all I'm really doing is throwing a teeny tiny band-aid on the bigger issues that surround mental health in this country and around the world; stigma, educational outreach and underfunded programs and treatment. The clients we work with are considered to have "chronic, severe mental illness" and they are amazing survivors! The conditions we work under to provide support to them is substandard at times and ultimately effects the care we provide and yet we are one of the better funded programs! This is unacceptable. I love and respect the nursing profession and have found my niche within it. I would love to spend the remainder of my nursing career where I am but don't know how long I can last at this pace. Bringing the rest of society on board to end the stigma of mental illness and realize that proper funding could go a long way to decrease the suffering it causes would be a blessing for all involved. It would also strengthen the health and well-being of our communities and the world at large. Until then we are all holding on out here...sure could use some reinforcements! [/COLOR]

:)

[ixchel]

Because they read something on the internet and therefore know best about YOUR child.

You know Grandma means well, and damn I can use some brain busting foods as well, but yea, um, No.

I'm sorry.

She does mean well, and I love her for it, but she also knows how much of a struggle our ADHD journey has been. I responded (politely) with a significant list of actual research-based information, including statistical outcomes in adulthood for those children not adequately treated. I love her dearly and hope she allows the information to help balance her thoughts on it. I was that parent who tried exercise, diet and supplements first and I know they're ineffective. I had to try everything first and feel that makes me more secure in our choices. I regret nothing.

Anyway, forgive the hijacking. Mental illness and treatment legitimacy (regardless of condition) are topics I am so passionate about that I get worked up easily. I think I'd burn out pretty quickly in psych nursing because of it.

[milwerica, MSN, APRN]

Hi Farawyn,

I do agree there are conditions in mental health that most definitely need medication. Like a diabetic who needs insulin, those with mental illness also need help to balance the imbalance of the brain chemicals. No stigma to meds, but I think society tends to rely on anti-anxiety medications that are bandaids to the real problem. I do believe there is a place for medication just like in a chronic disease like diabetes and high blood pressure. Though I do feel like with other chronic conditions there are lifestyle choices that need to be made also. There are several mental illnesses that need a daily medication treatment plan. 100 percent agreed but there also has to be coping skills taught. I find as a society in general we want to "pop a pill" and move on. We have to be more open to talk and work through what is going on. Help each other out. Be more understanding of each of our individual journeys. I am just starting the conversation in mental health to make us more aware that we all struggle. We all have "issues" and working together can help make this life just a bit easier :) Thanks for the comment and letting me clarify a little more. Let me know if you have any other questions or comments so that I can learn from this too :)

[milwerica, MSN, APRN]

Meds are a great tool to help. Like I have mentioned in another comment mental illness is like diabetes and high blood pressure. An imbalance that we do need to help correct with medication. NO fault in taking medication for this. But when we start resorting to popping xanax three times a day and not working on skills to help with why the anxiety, then we need to work a bit on coping skills. I find that there is a significant amount of mental health illness in society that is stigmatized. We need to be open about this. I LOVE how you shared with us. We need more of this. But if we are not teaching the skills with the pills we are just popping a med and moving on. Skills are crucial. Along with pharmacological treatment to help with the chemical imbalance. No pill hating here, as a said, meds have a place, but being open and willing to use the coping skills too. Like a diabetic avoiding carbs ect... We got this!

[milwerica, MSN, APRN]

Uggghhhhh point in case..... Just got an email from my grandmother detailing the "latest research" on brain boosting foods proven effective in treating ADHD. There is an active campaign against using medications to treat this legitimate condition which is a known neurobiological disorder which is known to respond best to medications when the symptoms warrant them (and generally, they do).

Any parent of an ADHD child (and I'm sure anyone with ADHD) KNOWS that the ADHD child/adult truly suffers with it. But time and time again, the parent of a child with ADHD can get told by "well-meaning" people that medication is wrong. I wonder if these people would share oppositional opinions so freely if my son suffered from hypertension or hypothyroidism.

This is frustrating. So, so frustrating. Why exactly do people feel they have free reign to share their unsolicited advice on any of this? I don't get it.

This is a frustrating topic for many. There is a legitimate imbalance with mental health. Foods can't cure everything, therapy can't cure this. There is no cure, like in diabetes. In terms of meds, as I said there is a place, don't get me wrong, but there are coping mechanisms to help cope also. We can't pop a pill and move on. We also to need to work together to help us as a society understand each other. Like a diabetic, they will eventually need insulin based on the severity. Not a failure on their part. But a condition that will continue to deteriorate. We have to be more understanding. No fault in medication BUT we have to work on it also. We have to be more understanding that mental illness is equal to as mentioned other chronic health conditions. An imbalance. As with ADHD, meds are a needed asset for some. Also environmental control, stimulation control and schedules help along with the medication. As with those with diabetes some need meds and some do not. There is a continum and no failure of the person to then need a daily medication. But if we are popping pills and not working on our environment and with each other than we are going to have more problems. We need to be more accepting :)

[ShelbyaStar]

Thanks, ixchel. If it makes you feel any better, I think there are a lot of pros to having ADHD, too. I love the way my brain works. Being a kid was rough, socially, but in general, I like myself as an adult. Certain things are very frustrating, but usually more funny. Only just recently got diagnosed so still figuring out the best meds to take. It's a process, for sure.

I do agree that all too often drugs>therapy. Therapy is usually more effective, but therapy is expensive and time consuming. Need both, but I am a hypocrite in this matter as I am only in as much therapy as it takes to keep my prescription. I have a history of depression as well- drugs are covered by insurance, therapy is minimally if at all. So I have not sought any for years and could certainly stand to do so. It's also terribly difficult to find a good therapist that you click with, which is discouraging if it doesn't work out a time or two.

[Farawyn]

Thanks, ixchel. If it makes you feel any better, I think there are a lot of pros to having ADHD, too. I love the way my brain works. Being a kid was rough, socially, but in general, I like myself as an adult. Certain things are very frustrating, but usually more funny. Only just recently got diagnosed so still figuring out the best meds to take. It's a process, for sure.

I absolutely love this.

[medicalforonevoice]

Nurses work in one of the most stressful positions! We are harder on ourselves when we are diagnosed with a Mental Illness, (pertaining to the Brain.) No shame to that game! We need to encourage each other along with asking "the powers that be" to take a closer look. In my State, they are doing just that. Bills/Legislature are in place to look at how we can make Mental Health Issues regarding the illness with early detection/possible solutions possible. More funding = more awareness. Now, lets get the people, including the Insurance Companies, to get on Board.