What is the difference between mental health and mental illness? The former refers to our emotional and psychological state, our social well–being and how we feel about ourselves and interact with others. Mental health is not the same as mental illness, although poor mental health can lead to mental and physical illnesses.

When we have good mental health, we are resilient, can handle life’s challenges and stresses, have meaningful relationships and make sound decisions. Being mentally healthy, like being physically healthy, is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood and old age.

Being mentally healthy is influenced by life experiences, relationships with others, physical health and one’s environment. Just as people may experience physical problems over the course of their lives, they may also experience emotional or mental health problems that affect their thinking, mood and behaviors. This does not necessarily mean that a person who is going through a difficult time and is experiencing poor mental health has a mental illness. Feeling miserable and socially isolated are red flags that one’s mental health needs attention.

The benefits of improving one’s mental health are well worth the effort. Being mentally healthy helps you feel confident in your worth and abilities, accept your strengths and weaknesses, set realistic goals and create a sense of meaning and purpose in your life. Emotional health and mental health are closely intertwined, and both can positively or negatively impact physical health as well.

What is Mental Illness?
Mental illness refers to a wide range of disorders that affect mood, thinking and behavior. Mental illness can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, social standing, religion or race/ethnicity. People with mental illness often experience distress and problems functioning at work, home and in social situations. Mental illness is not something the person can “overcome with willpower,” and can be caused by biological factors such as genes or brain chemistry, trauma and abuse, and family history of mental illness.

The major types of mental illness include:
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Mood disorders, including bipolar
• Personality disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Trauma disorders
• Eating disorders
• Addictive behaviors

Mental illnesses are common in America, and approximately one in five adults lives with a mental illness (43.8 million in 2015.)1 While depression and anxiety are two of the most common disorders, mental illness includes many different conditions that range from mild to moderate to severe. People who don’t have a mental illness might still be impacted by the mental illness of a friend or family member.

Signs and symptoms of mental illness vary, but may include changes in sleep, appetite, and energy level, severe mood swings, persistent thoughts or compulsions, hearing voices, social withdrawal, feeling sad, hopeless, or agitated, having trouble performing everyday tasks, or wanting to hurt oneself or others.

With the right treatment, people can and do recover from mental illness. Friends and family members can be important influences to help someone get the treatment and services they need. Primary care physicians can refer individuals to psychiatrists and other professionals who specialize in mental health treatment. Treating a physical illness might require medications and physical therapy, and treating a mental illness might also require medications and different therapies. For many people, the first step is to recognize there is a problem and be willing to accept help.

For more information on treatment resources, contact:
National Institute of Mental Health
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help/index.shtml

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
http://www.nami.org/

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/https://www.mentalhealth.gov/

Mental Health.gov
https://www.mentalhealth.gov/
Help is available. For additional information, visit MagellanHealth.com/MYMH

1. https://www.nami.org/learn-more/mental-health-by-the-numbersd to replace a visit with a provider. Magellan Health does not endorse other resources that may be mentioned

Read more more about this topic from Magellan Health Insights

 National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is observed annually on the last week of February , to mark the occasion, we are sharing some important Dos and Don’ts for families and friends of people suffering from an eating disorder.

Eating disorders can be among the most difficult afflictions for family members and friends to understand. Feelings of frustration and helplessness are common. Early diagnosis and treatment can save the life of a person with an eating disorder, but it is important to remember that only an experienced doctor or therapist can treat them effectively.

If the person has lost a significant amount of his or her normal body weight, or you feel that his or her life is in danger, seek immediate medical attention. The following are some additional tips if someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder.

Eating Disorder Dos . . .

• Educate yourself. Read as much as possible about eating disorders. This will help you understand the problem and put you in a better position to help those around you.
• Listen. People with eating disorders often feel ashamed and alone. Your support may provide the strength the person needs to seek professional help.
• Encourage the person to get help. Try to get the person to seek professional help, but don’t be too forceful. This will make the person more anxious, and could discourage the person from seeking help. Unless in immediate danger, avoid forcing the person to get help.

Eating Disorder Don’ts . . .

• Nag about eating or not eating. People with eating disorders are extremely self-conscious about their eating habits. By nagging, you will just make them more uncomfortable and reinforce the behavior.
• Hide food to keep the person from binge eating. Although people with bulimia or binge eating disorder may ask for your help, hiding food from them will only create resentment.
• Force the person to eat. Forcing the person to eat will make him or her feel childish, out-of-control, disapproved of, and scolded. Once again, this just reinforces the behavior.

Help is available

An eating disorder is an illness that is difficult to understand. Identifying and treating these disorders can also be hard. But the sooner a person is diagnosed, the better the chances are for recovery. While you can’t force someone to seek help, you can educate yourself and develop a support system for those around you who may be at risk. The good news is that most people do well in treatment and can recover from eating disorders.

How good are you at coping with adversity? Somehow, life always finds a way to present you with challenges that you didn’t see coming. Fortunately, you can improve your resilience skills—enabling you to bounce back when confronted with a crisis or an overwhelming change.

1. Differentiate problems from your response to them.

You have the option of reacting with panic, or responding in a calmer, measured way that allows you to proceed logically toward a solution. It’s your choice!

2. View your strengths positively.

Remind yourself that you’ve gotten through tough times before and be confident in your ability to re-apply those successful strategies.

3. Always be ready for change.

Remind yourself that life is always ready to throw you a new curve, and that sometimes the advent of a big, intimidating change can end up being a positive learning experience that helps you grow.

4. Keep your perspective.

No matter how overwhelming your problem might seem, try to view the situation in the longer- term context of your life and the larger world.

5. Lean on close family, friends and peers.

Being able to share concerns— and to brainstorm innovative solutions together—can give you more confidence as you move forward.

6. Stay flexible.

Try not to get locked into a single approach to solving a problem and have a flexible mindset.

7. Don’t forget your own needs.

In times of crisis, staying physically and spiritually fit helps you fight off stressors of all kinds!

8. When in doubt laugh at it.

Try to find those nuggets of humor, shake your head, and laugh at life’s wackiness.

9. Look for light at the end of the tunnel.

No matter how difficult or uncomfortable a situation may be, remember that even the darkest of days won’t last forever.

10. Keep building you resilience skills.

It may take time to learn how to stay balanced when times are tough. Keep learning from others who seem resilient, and build upon your valuable experience and personal strengths.

Magellan’s own Chairman and CEO, Barry M. Smith, was recently featured in Behavioral Healthcare Executive, talking about the importance of prioritizing behavioral health as a part of disaster recovery.

In the article, Barry discusses how delivering innovative access to behavioral health services is critical to enabling not only physical, but emotional renewal.

Read Barry’s complete article here.

Contemplating life and death is probably common when in the midst of a natural disaster. As the eye of Irma passed over me on September 10, I was thinking about suicide and suicide prevention. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and Magellan Complete Care, our health plan for individuals living with serious mental illness in Florida, had been busy preparing for summits to draw attention to and dialogue around suicide prevention to local communities. Two days before Irma hit, I was busy canceling vendors for the summits. The day before Irma, I was dealing with a surprise, last-minute mandatory evacuation order while trying to locate a friend who was experiencing homelessness and depression, and who had expressed a desire to let the storm take his life instead of seeking shelter.

As the winds howled, windows rattled, and rain pounded against the home I had evacuated to, I sat on a closet floor thinking about how much I wanted to live and how that desire to live had not always been there. There were years where, like my friend, I was lost in my own storm. Depression had flooded my soul, my thoughts were battered by negativity and I never felt safe. The aftermath, similar to a hurricane, was a life left in shambles, just wishing for normalcy.

Recent hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires remind us of the value of life. Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides another reminder. Every 13 minutes that the winds and rain of Irma pelted my home state, someone in this country was ending their life too soon by suicide. With a completed suicide happening in Florida every three hours , the death toll from suicide may end up being higher than that from Irma’s destruction.

Natural disasters and the realities of suicide provide the same call to action to communities. We have a responsibility to watch out for each other and take care of each other. When the power is out, you share the food and batteries you have and a reminder to hold on. When someone’s internal light is out, you share hope and support and a reminder to stay strong.

There is much work ahead to rebuild lives, homes, and communities devastated by recent natural disasters; to support communities in reducing death by suicide; and to help individuals struggling through adversity. I am living proof that a life can be rebuilt. Whatever challenge you are facing, hold on, stay strong and don’t be afraid to ask for and accept help.

Written by Thomas Lane, NCPS, CRPS

September is National Recovery Month, and during this time, we celebrate the fact that people living with mental health and substance use disorders can and do recover.  Recovery is real.  But what does it mean to recover?  It’s an important question, and there is no simple answer.  Each individual experiences recovery in unique ways.  As a person in recovery, here is what I believe we have in common.

Hope – We all need hope in our lives.  Hope is like a beacon, a light that shines in our lives and in the lives of others.  It is vital.  But there are times when we lose hope.  It’s in those times we need someone to hold the hope for us.  Hope doesn’t cost anything to give, yet it is priceless.

Self-determination – Self-determination is a fundamental value in our lives. For many of us, our choices have been limited due to the impact of our mental health or substance use disorders.  Some of us live with both.  There are times when conditions are imposed on us that are not consistent with our own goals and aspirations.  Self-determination is so important, because without it, we can feel hopeless and without control in our lives.  Decision support tools and opportunities to strengthen self-efficacy empower us to choose self-determined roles in communities of our choice.

Connectedness – We are interdependent.  Connections to others and meaningful relationships are human needs.  Without connections, we can feel isolated. Developing circles of support and being included strengthens our recovery.  We are part of our communities and cultures, not separate from them.

Health  – Many of us live with chronic health conditions.  In fact, the average life expectancy for a person living with a serious mental health condition is twenty five years shorter than the general population. Finding good health care professionals who support improvements in our health and conditions, beyond just symptom and illness management, helps us realize improved personal health outcomes.   We develop healthy living habits.  Good nutrition, exercise, restful sleep; we are intentional in our approach to live well.

Peer Support – To me, peer support is the bedrock for recovery.  When someone shares experiences we can relate to, experiences we may have in common, we discover we are not alone.  We discover others have made it through similar difficult times and overcome similar challenges.  We are encouraged.  We gain confidence.  We rediscover hope.  And we pay it forward.

As I think about this year’s National Recovery Month, I know from my own experience that recovery is not a straight path.  I know there may be setbacks and hurdles to overcome.  But I am absolutely convinced that recovery is real.  It happens when we have hope in our lives, when we have choices, and when we are connected to each other and our communities.   It happens when our health care needs are met and we work to become healthier.  For so many of us, peer support represents the beginning of our journey.  Let us celebrate each person’s pathway, honor each person’s journey, and welcome those who walk alongside us.

Source: https://www.womenshealth.gov/nwhw/tools/infographics/mental-health/

To mark Mental Health Month, we had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Caroline Carney, chief medical officer of Magellan Healthcare. Dr. Carney shed some light on stigma, barriers to mental health services and ways we can all help all friends and family get the treatment they need to live a healthy, vibrant life.

Why is there still a stigma around seeking help or treatment for mental health concerns?

Dr. Carney: I think we first need to talk about what stigma is, and where it comes from.

Unfortunately, people with mental illness have been stigmatized by others, and even by themselves. Mental illness is often still perceived as an indulgence, a sign of weakness, or as a character weakness. You also may find people who believe mental illness is something that is scary, or to be made fun of. So many myths exist about mental illness, including that it is the result of bad parenting. Popular culture continues to further the stereotypes and myths.

Further, self-stigmatization is a huge driver for this. Self-stigmatization occurs when shame and secrecy override even the most extreme of symptoms, preventing people from getting the help they need. Few people recognize how prevalent mental illness is.  We don’t talk about depression. We don’t talk about our own perceived failures. We don’t talk about how tough life can be, and often suffer through it in silence. Further, the symptoms themselves, whether depression, anxiety or psychotic disorders, often contribute to a sense of isolation. In the time of Facebook and Instagram, we are led to believe that everyone lives a happy and interesting life every day. If you feel you don’t measure up to what is shown on social media, it can then be perceived as a failure. This is especially true for adolescents, teens and college-aged kids. I’ve spoken recently to a young person who was afraid to talk to her best friend and to her mentor about her feelings of depression and loneliness. She was afraid they would think that she was weak and flawed—therefore not worthy of being a good friend. Instead, she suffered in silence, further worsening the symptoms until suicide became part of her daily thoughts. Most people around her would never recognize this incredible kid regularly thinks of suicide. This, unfortunately, is an all too common scenario.

What can friends, family and coworkers do to help lessen that stigma and encourage people to seek help?

Dr. Carney: I think the biggest step is to support and withhold judgement. Family and friends need to be upfront about symptoms or conditions they’ve had in their own lives. I often advise that it is a normal, common thing to get treatment—it should be considered no different than getting treated for any medical condition. In some cases, friends and family may find themselves helping someone access treatment at a mental health provider or a primary care physician. Emphasizing that mental illness isn’t a sign of failure, and can actually be treated, is critically important. As a doctor, I have often counseled the loved ones of my patients that it can be frustrating to take care of a person in the thick of an episode of mental illness. The symptoms of depression, for instance, dampen ones motivation, support beliefs of hopelessness, and take away energy. It should be no surprise, then, that the person suffering from mental illness doesn’t want therapy. Don’t give up on them—understand that the disease itself influences getting treatment.

Treatment for mental illness doesn’t happen overnight—it can often take weeks or even longer for a response to occur. Family, friends, coworkers, and providers shouldn’t give up.  Look for incremental change, not overnight cures.

What is the biggest misperception about mental illness? 

Dr. Carney: The biggest misperception is that mental illness isn’t an illness—that is something one brings upon oneself. Mental illness is caused by biological, genetic, and environmental factors.

Can you live a life of recovery?

Dr. Carney: Absolutely! Because mental illness is a medical condition, it’s important to know about different mental conditions and their associated treatment options. A common myth is that the illness will go away if a stressor is removed, or time passes, or a person just thinks positive thoughts or prays. Think about a physical illness such as diabetes. Diabetes won’t go away with positive thinking, and neither will a condition like depression. Mental illness can be treated, and the earlier treatment is initiated, the better the chances of recovery. Finding licensed, trained providers is essential. Using social supports like faith or your peers can be an extension of, not a replacement for, treatment.  Importantly, having an episode of depression or an anxiety disorder may only occur once in a lifetime. If the root causes are uncovered, cognitive distortions are addressed, and if appropriate, medication used correctly, the morbidity of mental illness can be markedly reduced, and may never come back. Even people with serious persistent mental illness, such as schizophrenia, can live a life of recovery with the right supports and treatment.

But I also think it’s essential that we need to educate people that the illness may return. This doesn’t mean that a person with mental illness failed. It means that the illness may be chronic, but the symptoms can still be treated.

The most vital concept to remember is that recovery is possible, and can be permanent.  When it’s not permanent, treatment can be ongoing and very successful.

What can providers/clinicians do to help reduce stigma?

Dr. Carney: I think there are a few ways that everyone – not only providers or clinicians – can help counter stigma around mental illness.

• Know the facts about mental illness—read about mental illness from expert and advocacy groups like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the National Institute of Mental Health, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and other sites.  Rumor and innuendo never serve the facts.
• Continue to reinforce that this is an illness, and not a sign of weakness or failure.
• Take a look at your own attitudes and how you think about mental illness—whether your own, in someone you care about or the stranger you see on the street.  Understand that no one would ever want to be depressed, or be troubled by hallucinations. Mental illness is an illness, no less than heart disease or cancer.
• Choose your words carefully—Often we refer to someone who has diabetes as a diabetic, or a person with schizophrenia as a schizophrenic. People are more than their disease, whatever it may be. We need to preserve personal dignity by recognizing that our words matter—use terms like “he is a man with schizophrenia,” and be mindful of common phrases like “crazy” or “nuts.”
• Provide support by keeping your loved one or friend safe from harm. Participate in therapy when asked. Avoid passing judgement, especially about how quickly someone’s recovery may be progressing, and continue to support the receipt of treatment.
• Take an honest look about what environmental factors may be contributing to the illness.  Evaluate short-term and long-term stressors.  Just like we would monitor the diet for someone with diabetes, we should recognize that environmental factors contribute to mental illness, just as they do to physical health.
• Never accept or foster stereotypes.