What mental health means to me

On the cusp of a month dedicated to mental health awareness and from the vantage point of my hotel room awaiting a conference on mental health, I’m drawn to take a closer look at what mental health means to me, both personally and from the perspective of being a licensed professional counselor for over two decades.

Defined, mental health can be summed up as a person’s condition in regards to their psychological and emotional well-being. To me, this hardly scratches the surface of the many facets that comprise its full meaning. Coming from a family that has a history of mental health struggles on both sides as well as my own personal mental health struggles in the past, it seems logical for me to first look at early childhood experiences as well as role models, both healthy and unhealthy, that I was exposed to while growing up in the ’60s and ’70s as a baby boomer. An era where an emphasis on mental health awareness began to emerge.

In the Spring of 1999, I experienced a home invasion and physical assault that not only resulted in a traumatic brain injury, but also left me with symptoms of anxiety, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. First-hand, I experienced what it felt like to not feel in control of my emotions, physical condition, or life in general, for that matter. I could see the correlation between physical and mental health. I also observed that during and since the pandemic, some of those feelings and struggles resurfaced to some degree.

There has been a significant increase in reported mental health conditions and chronic illnesses, according to the results of Stress in America 2023, a nationwide survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of The American Psychological Association among more than 3,000 U.S. adults age 18 and over. This survey revealed that adults ages 35 to 44 reported the most significant increase in chronic health conditions since the pandemic — 58% in 2023 compared with 48% in 2019. Adults ages 35 to 44 also experienced the highest increase in mental health diagnoses — 45% reported a mental illness in 2023 compared with 31% in 2019.

As Americans, we’ve gone through many changes in regards to mental health treatment throughout the years. According to the CDC (Centers For Disease Control), the percentage of adults who have received any mental health treatment increased from 19.2% to 21.6% from 2019 to 2021. Since the pandemic, I’ve observed as a therapist a shift from individuals being hesitant to talk openly about their mental health struggles to individuals, especially youth, being much more open and willing to discuss their need for therapeutic intervention.

The pandemic has had a significant impact on our mental health. That being said, what can we take away from all of this? As we move through the month of May, what can we do to be more aware of and nurture our own mental health needs? Here are a few practical points that are a good place to begin in order to head in the right direction:

Connecting with others — We are not Islands. Living isolated and autonomously is detrimental to our mental health. We need connection with others. We need connection with our community. This can be accomplished in a multitude of ways through leisure time activities, hobbies, meals together, among other things. It should begin with those closest to us, our family and friends. We should never let ourselves get so busy that we don’t have time to connect with others.

Nurturing our spirituality — One could say that this also ties in with the connecting piece as well. As a practicing clinician, I have observed that individuals who have an active (practicing) spiritual belief system in place are more effective at coping with the challenges and struggles that they come to treatment for. This could play out in a multitude of ways, and begin with prayer, meditation, and connection with others in your spiritual community.

Healthy self-care practices — Simply put, self-care means taking time to do things that nurture one’s physical and mental health. This can also tie in with spiritual health as well. It begins with establishing healthy self-care practices in the areas of diet, exercise and sleep. Establishing new habits that can help manage stress, lower risk of illness, and increase energy. Even small acts of self-care in our daily lives can have a big impact on how we feel mentally.

Finding balance — I often talk about this at the beginning of treatment with my clients. I emphasize the importance of establishing a work/life balance. One begins to do this by establishing a daily and weekly routine that encompasses every aspect of life: spiritual, family, career, physical, social and leisure time. Start with making adjustments in the areas that you think need improvement and move forward from there.

In closing, I can’t help but think about what I often say to my clients when they come to me feeling overwhelmed with everything that’s not going well in their lives. Moving forward begins with baby steps. We start by identifying areas of lack. Begin by removing habits that aren’t serving you any purpose, and replace them with healthier ones that will help you move forward and reach your goal of a healthier, happier you. Moving forward and making improvements begins with starting where you’re at. Find someone that you can be accountable to, whether it be a family member, friend, clergy, or mental health professional. We have to begin somewhere and what better time than now? My hope is that you will be able to make the improvements that you need to move forward in your mental health journey.

Kamara Marsh is a Michigan-made Licensed Professional Counselor and award-winning artist from East Lansing now residing in Alpena, where she combines her gifts of art and healing to reach the world, one person at a time. She can be reached at esimorp@att.net.