Mental Health Access

According to the National Institute for Mental Health, about 1 in 5 Americans experience mental illness each year. At the same time, “Mental health issues are often very closely tied to physical health issues,” says Dr. Joseph Cilona, a clinical psychologist. Mental illness is associated with increased occurrence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma, epilepsy and cancer.” While people visit their health care providers for these health concerns, Americans rarely take preventative measures for their mental health issues. The annual screens could help reduce the $200 billion is lost wages to the U.S. economy and suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. leading to a cost of $51 billion a year.

In addition, there are large barriers for patients seeking professional support. In most situations, there are long appointment times and without insurance coverage, the out-of-pocket costs are too high for patients to maintain treatment.“Historically, mental healthcare and assessing for mental wellness has held a stigma in our society,” says Dr. Scott Hall, professor of clinical mental health counseling at the University of Dayton. “This has contributed to yearly mental health assessments being left out of mainstream preventative care.” Dr. Brooke Myers Sorger, a clinical psychologist, finds that “it is still difficult for individuals to be forthcoming about their emotional challenges.” During annual exams, there are so many questions that mental health is not assessed fully. In the meantime, we must advocate for ourselves. Many mental health professionals who don’t take insurance will work on a sliding scale. In addition, we can monitor our wellness with simple check-ups as suggested by the American Psychiatric Association:

https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/apa-blog/2015/10/a-brief-mental-health-checkup

This check-list can bring awareness to areas that can affect our wellness and can be used to bring up areas of concern with healthcare providers.

For more information please visit:

http://www.paintedbrain.org

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/why-aren-t-mental-health-screenings-part-our-annual-physicals-ncna839226

http://www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com/mental-health/prioritize-stress-mental-health/

Self-Compassion

One component of mental well-being is self-compassion. According to researcher Kristin Neff, “ Having compassion for oneself is really no different than having compassion for others. Self-compassion involves acting the same way towards yourself when you are having a difficult time, fail, or notice something you don’t like about yourself. Instead of just ignoring your pain with a “stiff upper lip” mentality, you stop to tell yourself “this is really difficult right now,” how can I comfort and care for myself in this moment?”

Rather than allowing the self-critic to judge yourself for shortcomings, self-compassion means you are kind and understanding. Dr. Emma Seppala notes, “ Most of us don’t stop to consider whether our self-critical and competitive attitude are helping us achieve our goals. We don’t realize that they are actually standing in our way. Scientific data shows that self-criticism makes us weaker in the face of failure, more emotional, and less likely to assimilate lessons from our failures. Studies are finding that there is a far better alternative to self-criticism: self-compassion.”

Rather than being critical, one can expand our perspective and realize mistakes and failures are a part of life and other factors that contribute to these experiences and emotions.

Below is an infograph summarizing Dr. Seppala’s findings on self-compassion:

For more information please visit:

www.paintedbrain.org

http://ccare.stanford.edu/uncategorized/the-scientific-benefits-of-self-compassion-infographic/

https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/09/05/school-of-life-self-compassion/

http://self-compassion.org/tips-for-practice/#

Mindfulness in Schools

Mindfulness is a way to help people manage stress, work and relationships. It’s rooted in the Buddhist meditation technique to focus on the moment. The focus allows people to manage their anxiety so that it doesn’t weigh on them and has potential to support their mental health. While there is no clear evidence that it improves academics, it can decrease anxiety and improve attention. In the classroom, mindfulness can be incorporated to allow students to focus on one thing, which gives their brain and body a chance to relax. It’s more effective over time and when it becomes part of the school culture. Taking a few minutes out of class to help students also introduces students to the idea of taking care of their mental health. Mindfulness takes form in many activities such as walking or eating, and trains the brain to notice the stories we tell ourselves and what makes us upset. While mindfulness in schools won’t replace the role of a therapist, it’s a tool to also spot potential mental health issues and connect students to appropriate support.

For more information please visit:

http://www.paintedbrain.org

https://www.usnews.com/high-schools/blogs/high-school-notes/articles/2018-01-01/teachers-use-mindfulness-to-help-students-academics

How should we talk about mental health in schools? Here’s what the experts say

http://marc.ucla.edu/default.cfm

Influence of Nature on Mental Wellness

According to researcher, Craig Claquist, “Ecotherapy is an umbrella term for a gathering of techniques and practices that lead to circles of mutual healing between the human mind and the natural world from which it evolved. It includes horticultural therapy, wilderness excursion work, time stress management, and certain kinds of animal-assisted therapy. Ecotherapy methods are not meant to represent a cure to modern concerns, but there is a growing body of knowledge that suggest there are some benefits. As of the 1980s, we live in a highly industrialized environment spending more than 90% of our lives indoor (National Research Council, 1981), which is the smallest amount in human evolutionary history.”

There is evidence that the environment affects personal and social well-being. “This can include housing, neighborhood, noise, crowding, indoor air and light all connect to mental health (Evans, 2003; Lepore, Evans & Schneider, 29912). Given the urban environment, cities can highlight the feelings of isolation and loneliness. Outside the office, longer commute times diminish motivation, concentration and proofreading skills. (Schaeffer, Street, Singer & Bau,, 1998; Wener, vans, Phillips, & Nadtler)”

Given the low cost, non-invasive activity of interacting nature, it can be a possible approach to improving mental wellness.

In two studies at the University of Essex, 108 people gardened, walked, ran, cycled, and got involved in nature activities. Of these, 94% reported benefits to their mental health: “I feel better about myself and have more of a sense of achievement”; “It improves my depression, helps me be more motivated, and gives me satisfaction in doing things”; “I feel refreshed and alive.” 90% of participants who went on a nature walk reported an elevation in self-esteem, whereas 44% of those who walked through an indoor shopping center reported reduced self-esteem. Participants in other outdoor activities reported less anger and tension and improved mood (Mind Publications, 2007). Given these findings, there is an increase use by mental health professionals.

There’s evidence of the benefits of a walk in the woods. “Forest bathing,” a version of the Japanese practice Shinrin-Yoku, is becoming popular in America as a way to improve mood and help with insomnia. And scientists have long studied how going into nature changes the way the brain works.

In a study on the impact of nature on children, Lynch found that urban interviewees from Argentina, Australia, Mexico, and Poland demonstrated a seemingly universal hunger for trees (Lynch, 1977; similar findings are reported by Ward, 1978). 68 school-age African American, Latino, and Asian children raised in lower-income New York inner-city neighborhoods and transferred to a summer camp for four 12-day sessions showed significantly higher self-esteem on the Piers Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale and described themselves more positively at the end of their stay (Readdick & Schaller, 2005). Greenery can also buffer rural children against stress. A study of 337 rural children in grades 3 through 5 found the impact of life stress to be lower among children in the midst of natural features of the landscape than among those with little nature nearby (Wells & Evans, 2003).

While there is limited body of research on it’s efficacy relative to other psychotherapy practices, this alternative activity has no risky drugs, surgery, or controversial diets.

For more information please visit:

http://www.paintedbrain.org

(Los Angeles Parks and Recreation) http://www.laparks.org/dos

http://www.laparks.org/park-venues-and-activities

https://modernhiker.com/best-hikes-in-los-angeles/

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/06/how-to-harness-natures-healing-power/531438/

http://www.euronews.com/2017/11/25/doctors-prescribing-ecotherapy-for-anxiety

http://www.medicaldaily.com/benefits-ecotherapy-being-nature-fights-depression-improves-mental-health-and-well-being-261075

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-darkness/201204/the-power-nature-ecotherapy-and-awakening

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/dose-nature-doctors-prescribe-day-park-anxiety-n823421

2017 Children’s Mental Health Report

The Child Mind Institute released it’s annual Children’s Mental Health Report. The 2017 report looked at the teenage years guided by 3 main concepts:

The adolescent brain develops until at least age 25
Most mental health disorders have onset before 24
Encourage understanding adolescent mental health through education and anti-stigma programs will change lives

According to the report, “Adolescence is a time of unprecedented cognitive and physical growth and vivid experiences of new ideas, feelings, and ambitions. It’s a period of intense learning and development, but it is also a high-risk period for impulsive behavior, and for the onset of mental health and substance use disorders.”

Understanding the brain development during adolescence helps understand teenage behavior and explore interventions and strategies. The report summarizes the neurological changes, their strength and weaknesses in decision making, long term effects of drug and alcohol and why certain mental health disorders show an onset during this growth stage. In addition, the report offers strategies for engaging teenagers in getting treatment and highlights successful programs that decrease mental health stigma and increase treatment-seeking behavior.

Below are some highlights from the report:

2017-CMHR-PDF

For more information please visit:

http://www.paintedbrain.org

http://www.childmind.org

Myths on Violence and Mental Health

Two topics jump into the public discourse when mass shootings or violence take place. One is the role of gun control and the second is mental illness. While the debate of gun control is ongoing, this post will focus on mental illnesses and linkages to violence. While public opinion polls show there is a public belief that mental illness are linked to mass shooters, the fact is only 4% of violence is attributed to mental illness.

“While improving access to mental-health care might help lots of suffering Americans, researchers who study mass shootings doubt it would do much to curb tragedies.” Individuals that commit mass murder are either not mentally ill or do not see themselves as mentally ill. Since they blame the outside world, therapies and asking them to change their behavior would not be effective.

“The connection between mental illness and mass shootings is weak, at best, because while mentally ill people can sometimes be a danger to themselves or others, very little violence is actually caused by mentally ill people.” In a study of convicted murderers in Indiana, 18 percent had a serious mental-illness but killers with severe mental illnesses, were less likely to target strangers or use guns as their weapon.

Sue Klebold, mother of Dylan Klebold, one of two shooters who committed the Columbine High School massacre shares her story in trying to unpack the event and life of her son. She expresses concern between suicidal thinking and homicidal thinking and for agencies to continue the examination.

For more information please visit:

http://www.paintedbrain.org

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/10/why-better-mental-health-care-wont-stop-mass-shootings/541965/

Mental Illness to Violence

Daniel Perez, currently age 20, shares what it’s like to be incarcerated at 16 and rehabilitation.

Spouts of Hope

Below is Kathy Yu’s story and response to the issue of bringing clean water to Uganda.

Pay-it-forward-Pizza

Philadelphia Pizza Lovers Pay It Forward One Slice At A Time

Genetics of Mental Illness

Molecular biology researchers are using the tools of science to build a map of the brain. In the process of learning about the brain, they are exploring the role of genetics in mental illness. Below is an excerpt from the documentary Ride the Tiger: A Guide Through the Bipolar Brain. The documentary highlights the direction researchers are taking to understand more about the bipolar disorder through genetic mapping. In identifying clusters of genes in patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder, scientist can use that as a starting point to learn more about mental illness.

There is still much to learn about the brain and the biological components of mental health.