Apparently it took Mental Health America, the nation's leading nonprofit mental health support organization, 10 years to confirm what most of us already knew... that knowledge about, and acceptance of, the seriousness of mental illness such as depression and bipolar disorder lags behind that of other health issues, such as diabetes and cancer.
According to the just-released Mental Health America Attitudinal Survey, while there has been improvement over the past 10 years, the study finds that "Americans are [still] more likely to view mental illnesses and other behavioral health problems as personal or emotional weaknesses -- rather than real health problems -- more often than they do other illnesses.
I found it particularly interesting that while 85% and 82% of Americans would feel comfortable sharing the fact that they or someone close to them has diabetes or cancer, respectively, only 58% would feel the same comfort level concerning bipolar disorder. In fact, survey respondents were more comfortable discussing alcohol and drug problems or a suicide attempt than bipolar disorder.
The study goes on to say that "the discomfort Americans continue to feel towards people with mental illnesses is disconcerting." No kidding. Maybe it's me, but does anybody else wonder why the leading advocates for mental health issues continue to label them "mental health" issues? Why aren't they "health issues" like cancer and diabetes, for example? The fact that the "experts" themselves are making the distinction between mental health and every-other-kind-of-health simply reinforces the notion that mental health issues are somehow different than "real health" issues.
The reality is that my brain is not functioning properly - the results are bipolar disorder, insomnia and sleep apnea, to name a few. So why should I be perceived or treated any differently than someone who's heart or liver or pancreas isn't functioning properly? The medical and insurance communities go out of their way to support people with heart issues or lung issues. They understand that a poorly functioning heart or lungs can lead to a whole host of serious and potentially life-threatening consequences. Considering that the brain is Command Central for every bodily function, why are my health concerns unworthy of the same respect and care?
Perhaps going straight to the insurance companies in our quest for health care parity is premature. Perhaps the cultural education process needs to go back even further, to those "mental health" advocacy groups that are perpetuating the myth that "mental health" is different from every other kind of health. Perhaps it time for "mental health" advocates to do what many advocates for children with disabilities have done in education - stress the importance of mainstreaming - in this case, mainstreaming health care, health insurance, workplace acceptance, and media enlightenment. Society has come to understand that people with physical disabilities can often accomplish just as much, and in some cases more, than their "able-bodied" counterparts. I would argue that the same is true of people like me.
According to the just-released Mental Health America Attitudinal Survey, while there has been improvement over the past 10 years, the study finds that "Americans are [still] more likely to view mental illnesses and other behavioral health problems as personal or emotional weaknesses -- rather than real health problems -- more often than they do other illnesses.
I found it particularly interesting that while 85% and 82% of Americans would feel comfortable sharing the fact that they or someone close to them has diabetes or cancer, respectively, only 58% would feel the same comfort level concerning bipolar disorder. In fact, survey respondents were more comfortable discussing alcohol and drug problems or a suicide attempt than bipolar disorder.
The study goes on to say that "the discomfort Americans continue to feel towards people with mental illnesses is disconcerting." No kidding. Maybe it's me, but does anybody else wonder why the leading advocates for mental health issues continue to label them "mental health" issues? Why aren't they "health issues" like cancer and diabetes, for example? The fact that the "experts" themselves are making the distinction between mental health and every-other-kind-of-health simply reinforces the notion that mental health issues are somehow different than "real health" issues.
The reality is that my brain is not functioning properly - the results are bipolar disorder, insomnia and sleep apnea, to name a few. So why should I be perceived or treated any differently than someone who's heart or liver or pancreas isn't functioning properly? The medical and insurance communities go out of their way to support people with heart issues or lung issues. They understand that a poorly functioning heart or lungs can lead to a whole host of serious and potentially life-threatening consequences. Considering that the brain is Command Central for every bodily function, why are my health concerns unworthy of the same respect and care?
Perhaps going straight to the insurance companies in our quest for health care parity is premature. Perhaps the cultural education process needs to go back even further, to those "mental health" advocacy groups that are perpetuating the myth that "mental health" is different from every other kind of health. Perhaps it time for "mental health" advocates to do what many advocates for children with disabilities have done in education - stress the importance of mainstreaming - in this case, mainstreaming health care, health insurance, workplace acceptance, and media enlightenment. Society has come to understand that people with physical disabilities can often accomplish just as much, and in some cases more, than their "able-bodied" counterparts. I would argue that the same is true of people like me.
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