Become a Part of the Mental Wellness Revolution

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and it could not have come at a better time. Mental health in our culture has long had a secondary status to Physical health in importance, and mental illness is stigmatized in a way physical illness is not, and is often ignored and left untreated.

We as a nation are being increasingly challenged by this deficit. A surprisingly
large percentage of our population, from adolescents to the elderly, suffer
from severe depression, and suicide is now the 10th leading cause of
premature death in our country. Veterans returning home in increasing numbers
suffer emotional trauma and brain injury. Divorce, substance abuse and domestic
violence have a growing toxic impact on families and children. Explosions of
rage and social violence instill fears and anxiety in each of us.

The time has come to view Mental Health as a national priority, as important as
finding a cure for cancer or wellness interventions for heart disease.

After a rewarding first career in the visual arts, I began to work towards a new
career as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). At a time when most people my age are making retirement plans, I embarked on two years of Masters level training in psychological theory and practice, and have started to log over
3600 hours of supervised psychotherapeutic work in the field to qualify for NY
State licensure. 

Why,one might ask, am I doing this? I came of age in the 1960’s, when we often said ‘You are either part of the solution or part of the problem’. Though a reminder of the black and white thinking of the time, it nonetheless inspired me to become ‘part of the solution’ by training to be a mental health
professional. 

What might others among us do to be part of the solution? A few things come to mind, and they all begin with awareness.

BE AWARE of the possibility of secret suffering among our friends and neighbors.
Because of cultural stigma around mental illness, we often miss, dismiss, or
avoid clear signals that something is wrong.

BE AWARE of your own mental wellness, and seek help if you start to feel consistently overwhelmed by stresses in daily life. A host of options exist, from support groups to individual or group therapy; become familiar with them for both
yourself and others that you feel may be in need.

BE AWARE of our cultural prejudices against those with severe mental illness,
emotional dysfunction, or issues of anxiety and despair. Change your own
prejudices, and lobby others to change their own.

As my friends in the ‘60’s used to say, ‘together we can change the world’.

Phil Heffernan is a student in the Master’s Program in Mental Health Counseling at LIU – Rockland.  He is also a professional practitioner of the Applied and Fine Arts, and has been for the last 35 years.