The general consensus among the public is that counseling, mental health care, and therapy are reserved for the small facet of society that struggle with severe mental illness. Mental health care or treatment is often depicted as long stays in the psych ward, a massive amount of medication, and life-long struggles with finding the right treatment. This stereotype negates the fact that therapy can be used preventatively, and is a great coping mechanism for everyday stressors when easily accessible to the public.
The National Institute of Mental Health (2018) estimates that one in six American adults live with a mental illness. That equated to about 44.7 million people in 2016. There are far reaching socio-economic effects that are triggered by mental illness. The World Health Organization (2004, p 15) reports that the United States collectively spends about 147 billion dollars towards mental disorders. The true cost of mental illness is incredibly difficult to measure as there are so many facets of society effected by untreated disorders. Those who experience severe mental illness symptoms are unable to work, which causes an additional strain on families, communities, and governments. Additionally, there’s the cost of health and social services, the negative impact on families and healthcare workers, correlations to crime and public safety, as well as the impact of stigma on those who are effected by mental illnesses.
Enter preventative therapy; an incredibly important yet underutilized tool in mental health care. The effectiveness of psychotherapy (talk-therapy) for instance, has been studied and substantiated by the psychological community. The APA writes that “psychotherapy even works better in the long-term and is more enduring than medication. In fact, not only is it more cost-effective, but psychotherapy leads to fewer relapses of anxiety and mild to moderate depression than medication use alone” (Brownawell, Kelley, 2011). This is not to discredit the applicability of other forms of mental health treatment, as differing disorders and symptoms require different or more intensive treatment often featuring medication as treatment tool. A space for psychotherapy certainly exists for the public however, as it is cost effective and features many techniques that could be incorporated into a variety of formats and situations. Additionally, increased use of psychotherapy principles could lead to an overall healthier and mentally happier society.
Imagine a society that utilizes psychotherapy to help cope with everyday stressors. If we incorporated therapy techniques into workplaces, schools, campuses, and integrated them into regular health care, we would see huge benefits. Instead of stressing mental health care during a mental health emergency, we should think of mental health care as a regular action we can take to help maintain a healthy mind. If everyone sought adequate preventative treatment, which could consist of something as simple as incorporating mindfulness based techniques into their coping skills, discrimination and stigma around mental health treatment would decrease, making life substantially easier for those with both mild and severe mental health disorders. We are all encouraged to go to the dentist, eye doctor, and our general physician on a regular basis; shouldn’t we seek regular care for our mental health as well?
Reference:
Mental Illness. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2018, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml
Prevention of Mental Disorders EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS AND POLICY OPTIONS. (2004). Retrieved February 11, 2018, from http://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/en/prevention_of_mental_disorders_sr.pdf
Brownawell, A., & Kelley, K. (2011, October). Psychotherapy is effective and here’s why. Retrieved February 11, 2018, from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/10/psychotherapy.aspx