Live Well Dayton: Mental Health by Cincy Magazine

LIVE WELL DAYTON ›› MENTAL HEALTH

Help is Here

Montgomery County organization provides mental health support for people BY JENNIFER PAT TERSON LORENZET TI DAYTON MAGAZINE . April/May 2019

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LIVE WELL DAYTON ›› MENTAL HEALTH

he Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, often referred to as the bible for diagnosis, defines a mental disorder, in part, as “a syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or developmental processes underlying mental functioning.” By this definition one in five people will experience a mental health condition at some point in their lives. Each of us lives, loves, works with or knows someone with a mental health condition, whether we are aware of it or not. Even with the prevalence of mental health conditions there is still a stigma attached that is hard to overcome. Initiatives like Project Semicolon seek to remove the stigma attached to experiencing a period of mental illness, but many people still look at these conditions as shameful and permanently debilitating. This causes those dealing with mental health conditions to

maintain their silence, contributing to people’s perceptions that these conditions are uncommon and unmanageable. According to Linda Stagles, executive director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness Montgomery County, great strides have been made in addressing the stigma, but there is much more to be done. “We want people to understand that treatment works and recovery is possible,” says Stagles, emphasizing that this is particularly true even of serious conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Successful management of these conditions can include exercise, diet, medication and use of support programs and resources. The brain is a complex organ and we understand more and more about it every

year. Mental illnesses, then, are “biologically based brain diseases,” says Stagles. She likens these conditions to other physical conditions that are well accepted in society. For example, Linda Stagles, someone whose executive director pancreas has trouble for the National producing insulin has Alliance on diabetes and requires Mental Illness medication; someone Montgomery County with a malfunctioning heart may need a pacemaker. Likewise, chemical balances, electrical signals, and physical health in and of the

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DAYTON MAGAZINE . April/May 2019

LIVE WELL DAYTON ›› MENTAL HEALTH

The National Alliance of Mental Illness Montgomery County participates in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness fundraiser and walk and other mental health outreach events.

brain all contribute to one’s mental health status. For example, being involved in an auto accident can create a brain bruise in the front temporal lobe, temporarily or permanently altering the brain’s physiology. At the same time, Stagles emphasizes that not everything that looks like a mental illness actually is. An underactive thyroid can create symptoms that mimic depression or anxiety while an overactive thyroid can mimic dementia. “Get checked out physically before mentally,” Stagles says.

PUBLIC POLICY IMPLICATIONS One of the biggest problems in the quest to support those with mental illnesses is the lack of public policy support. “We really don’t have long-term housing for people in recovery and we’re not diverting money (to it),” she says. Often, this means people struggling with mental illness wind up in prison or homeless, neither of which are the best environments for recovery. However, the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Ohio is making progress in the state of Ohio in addressing this problem. Last year, the Adam-Amanda Mental Health Rehabilitation Center opened its doors in Athens providing 16 beds for the continuing recovery of those discharged from psychiatric hospitals. Often these

DAYTON MAGAZINE . April/May 2019

patients are discharged relatively quickly, with 72 hours being the standard length of a psychiatric hold at a hospital. Since psychiatric medications often take up to six weeks to reach full efficacy this leaves patients with a gap during which they may not yet be able to function independently. With the new center patients can stay until they are ready to transition. Stagles notes that this first site cost $1.2 million to build and there will ultimately be six such sites in Ohio. Dayton is on the list so this is an exciting opportunity for increased support for individuals with mental health conditions. “This is an important piece because more and more people are needing housing,” Stagles says.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW It can be difficult to help a friend or family member with a mental illness, especially because the person is likely to not be able to identify their own difficulty. “It’s hard to say, ‘You need help,’” Stagles says. She cautions against fast online searches trying to solve the problem: “Everybody is quick to be an expert in 15 minutes.” However, she does encourage people to educate themselves and to seek support. There are several ways to do this. First, the National Alliance on Mental

Illness-Montgomer y Count y offers a number of ongoing support groups and one-time classes aimed at helping those with a mental illness and their family members to navigate this difficult time. One of the most notable is called Home Front, aimed at supporting our country’s veterans who may return from service with a mental illness. More information on all the groups may be found at nami-mc.org. Second, the National Alliance on Mental Illness has partnered with Montgomery County Department of Health & Human Services and Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services to release an app called GetHelpNow. This app includes a directory of services and a 24/7 urgent services portal to help someone in crisis. Finally, Samaritan Crisis Care operates a mobile crisis unit that can be reached by calling 937-224-4646. For those who prefer to seek help via text, a nationwide crisis help line can be reached by texting to 741741. Most importantly, however, readers should realize that mental illnesses are common and treatable and they affect many people every year. “We can all be affected at any point in time,” Stagles says. Luckily, help is available when those affected and their families need it most. You and your family are not alone, and help is here. n

HEALTH PROFILE

Many people feel pressure to “do it all”— maintain a healthy lifestyle, do their best at work and get a full night of sleep. But trying to keep up with all of life’s demands can be tiring. What can you do to ease stress?

ing. Sometimes stress can even present as flu-like muscle aches. Manuel says, “Sometimes we mistake symptoms for a cold or flu when actually we’re overly stressed and just need a break.”

What does stress look like?

One of the biggest keys to preventing chronic stress, says Manuel, is practicing regular self-care by finding what activities help you to relax.

“Stress can manifest in many different forms,” says Julie Manuel, a psychotherapist at Kettering Behavioral Medicine Center. “One of the biggest signs of stress is irritability, like being short with family members.” Low energy and somatic symptoms like nausea and tension headaches can all be signs of chronic stress. “For me,” says Manuel, “I will feel very fatigued and unable to put the usual energy into normal activities. That is always a sign that my body is telling me I’m too stressed out.” Being overly stressed can be a huge factor in physical illnesses, like chronic migraine headaches, and can develop into nausea, ulcers or constant overeat-

But how do you take a break?

“Self-care could be reading a book, going out to dinner with friends, exercising,” says Manuel. “The No. 1 best selfcare practice for you is simply the one you are going to do.” Stop the avalanche: preventing chronic stress Manuel says that one of the keys to preventing burnout is learning to set healthy boundaries. “Often, we want to be our best and exceed expectations,” she says. “But we need to be able to set firm limits so we don’t overwork ourselves.”

It’s important to point out that saying no now doesn’t mean saying no forever. “You can do it all, but not all at once, and maybe not right now,” says Manuel. Setting healthy limits is about making your mental health a priority so that you can approach life with realistic expectations. When to seek help If you feel like your symptoms of stress are unmanageable Manuel advises seeking help. “Doctors and therapists can help you navigate your stress,” says Manuel. “Arm yourself with the right tools. It’s OK to ask for help.” For more resources on managing your stress and mental health, visit ketteringhealth.org/mentalhealth