What is keeping us from treating mental health like physical health?

Mental health and addiction issues touch all of us.

This year, one in four Americans will experience a diagnosable mental illness -- disorders including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and addiction.
Unfortunately, only one in three of these people will seek the treatment and support they need, jeopardizing their physical health and quality of life.

May is Mental Health Month, a special annual commemoration that began
more than 60 years ago to raise awareness of mental health conditions
and mental wellness for all. It is an ideal time for us to reflect on how far we have come since the first Mental Health Month was celebrated and look toward the future.

Without a doubt, mental health care has changed dramatically in the last six decades. Where a mental health disorder was once a hopeless situation -- a source of shame that meant institutionalization -- people today have access to effective treatments and programs that allow them to get their lives back.

We have unprecedented tools to diagnose and treat even severe mental illnesses. Socially, we have come a long way as well. Legislators are more aware of how mental illness affects our communities, and the vital need for strong funding and infrastructure in mental health care.

More and more, we are seeing public figures coming forward to discuss their personal and familial battles with many mental health and addiction disorders. These stories inspire hope and promote early intervention and treatment.

We've advanced mental health care significantly, but we still have work to do to see that those who need help and support receive it. Data shows that mental health conditions are responsible for more disability than chronic diseases like arthritis and diabetes.

Two-thirds of all visits to family physicians are due to stress-related symptoms. High levels of stress have been found to predict heart
disease, the world's leading cause of death, more often than high cholesterol, cigarette smoking or obesity.

People with depression are more likely to develop diabetes than those without symptoms of depression. Serious mental illnesses can shorten a person's lifespan by up to 25 years.

With these staggering statistics in mind, we have to ask: Why do two-thirds of those in need of mental health support and treatment never seek help? We would never leave a broken limb unattended or allow a loved one to suffer with unmanaged diabetes. What is keeping us from treating our mental health in the same way that we treat our physical health?

The answers to these questions are rooted in our attitudes about mental health. Many in our society cling to long-held beliefs that mental health and addiction disorders are a result of socioeconomic status, character flaws, bad parenting, growing up or growing older. Others mistakenly believe that those who have mental health and addiction disorders can never recover.

We can correct these misperceptions.

This community has been a wonderful supporter of mental health providers and many residents have been advocates for their friends and family members who are working toward recovery in their lives. Let's take the opportunity that Mental Health Month provides to talk openly and honestly about mental health. Together, we can close the gap between those who need care and those who receive it.

Article by Suzanne Koesel is CEO of Centerstone of Indiana. She may be reached at suzanne.koesel@centerstone.org. The Centerstone crisis line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (800) 344-8802 for anyone seeking help.