There are often many questions when considering mental health care. It is generally helpful to think of it in the same terms as when you seek a professional to treat a physical illness.
If you have physical symptoms, you make an appointment and get checked by a medical professional. Once you’re examined, you may only need a prescription to get you back on track, or your condition may be more complicated, and further tests may be needed to determine the best plan for treatment.
Mental health care is fundamentally the same. You make an appointment and come in for an office visit. Your examination is a conversation that helps the mental health specialist understand the scope of your problem. All your information is completely confidential. Like all mental health providers, mental health providers are bound by HIPPA laws to protect your personal information.
According to the 2023 National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately one in five adults in the U.S. experience mental illness each year. Nearly 50 percent of adults state a need for mental health care but never take the step to make an appointment.
The primary reason for not seeking care is the stigma that has often been attached to treatment for mental health conditions. In the past two years, however, more people are making mental health care part of their routine for improved well-being.
Let’s look at it this way. If I start having many of the symptoms that appear on a diabetic warning chart, I’ll seek care immediately because I want to rule out the condition. If I am diagnosed with diabetes, I am glad to know what’s actually going on. I’m glad I took action because if I had ignored it, the condition would have gotten worse. The same is true for mental health concerns. If I am feeling unusually stressed, sad, irritated, frequently crying, forgetful, having difficulty concentrating, and having problems with relationships, it would be beneficial for me to talk with a professional. They will offer support and pathways to solutions for my problems.
I trust that your life includes a journey to personal well-being through the best possible medical and mental health care.
