Better late than never, I've heard. I had meant to highlight National Mental Health Awareness Month earlier. But here we are with at least some of May left to remind us of a problem that has had much social stigma in the past. Fortunately, there is not as much now.
Long ago people who tried to kill themselves and failed were often jailed, as if they committed a crime. When people became depressed in the early to mid-20th century, they were labeled as having a "nervous breakdown." There was still much social sigma and shame with it. The person suffering with a real malfunction of brain tissue was blamed for it. They were often called weak and told to "pull out of it."
Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed since May 1949. Known also as Mental Health Month, it was started by Mental Health America (then known as the National Association for Mental Health). It has a theme each year. This one's is "Turn Awareness into Action." The purpose of the month is to try to educate the public about the 18.1% who suff er from depression, schizophrenia and manic depressive or bipolar disorder, the realities of those living with these diseases and strategies for attaining mental health and wellness. It also draws attention to suicide. Suicide is the ultimate symptom of someone who is in excruciating psychic pain from their disease.
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We have yet to fully define what many of these diseases are, especially depression(s).
Everyone can sympathize with someone who has a limb chopped off and is in terrible pain. But it is difficult to understand and empathize with the pain in someone's mind from the cruel twists of a brain tissue malady. Fortunately, we are starting to refer to suicide as something the suff erer died from and not that they did on purpose.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness has a website with many entries. One lists warning signs and symptoms of mental illnesses. It says, "Trying to tell the diff erences between what expected behaviors are and when they might be mental illness isn't always easy (giant understatement). There is no easy test that can let someone know if there is mental illness or if actions and thoughts might be typical behaviors of a person or the result of a physical illness."
Some common signs of several illnesses in adults and teenagers might include the following: excess worry or fear; feeling excessively sad or low; confused thinking or problems concentrating or learning; extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable highs or feeling of euphoria; prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger; avoiding friends and social activities; difficulties understanding or relating to people; changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired or low energy; changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite; thinking about suicide (very serious); difficulty perceiving reality (delusions or hallucinations); inability to perceive changes in one's own feelings, personality, or behavior; overuse of alcohol or drugs; multiple physical ailments without obvious causes, such as headaches or stomachaches; vague and ongoing aches or pains; and others.
Some indicators in young children might include changes in school performance; excessive worry or anxiety, such as fighting to avoid bed or school; hyperactive behavior; frequent nightmares; frequent disobedience or aggression; frequent temper tantrums. An important thing to note is these are altered behaviors from their usual ones. The most important news to pass along about mental health awareness month is that people with these diseases need our help. We must get over being afraid to help them find care. If there is a serious crisis or possible suicide ideation, the hotline number for help has been greatly simplified to 988, either by phone or text. There is also a chat on computer, 988lifeline.org. NAMI has their NAMI Helpline to contact as well. Whatever you do will be right. Don't worry about doing the wrong thing if you are concerned.
I recall one patient I saw when I was a resident. She would develop an episode of schizophrenia every spring, and when she was coming out of it her psoriasis would flare viciously. I saw her in the hospital for her psoriasis and, as her brain was straightening out, she characterized her disease by saying she was 3 sandwiches short of a picnic. It's never too late to sense a mental health problem in someone and try to get them all the sandwiches they need.
Dr. Frank Bures, a semi-retired dermatologist, has worked in Winona, La Crosse, Viroqua and Red Wing since 1978. He also plays clarinet in the Winona Municipal Band and a couple Dixieland groups.
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