Mental health consists of a person’s emotional, psychological and behavioral well-being. It typically refers to how a person thinks, behaves, feels and interacts with others.
Mental health consists of a person’s emotional, psychological and behavioral well-being. It typically refers to how a person thinks, behaves, feels and interacts with others.
Mental health is a part of one’s overall well-being. Unmanaged mental health disorders can impact physical health, increasing the risk of stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Learning to cope with stress can benefit all aspects of a person’s life and well-being.
Improving mental health requires a combination of tools, depending on a person’s specific needs. Some of those tools may include counseling, therapy, medication or education.
Medicaid and Medicare both cover a range of mental health and substance abuse services, including many of those offered by Bear River Mental Health.
Mental illness rarely occurs due to one specific cause. Instead, a combination of factors may increase a person’s risk of developing a mental illness, which may include genetics; history of trauma or abuse; exposure to environmental stressors, such as alcohol or drugs, before birth; and brain chemistry.
While there are a variety of mental illnesses, some of the most commonly-diagnosed include persistent depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, general anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder.
Some mental illnesses have warning signs and experts typically advise getting an evaluation when someone is experiencing three or more of the following symptoms:
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five adults in the U.S. deals with a mental illness, from mild to severe. In 2019, that was 51.5 million adults.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) considers mental illness a psychiatric disability when it limits a person’s ability to participate in a least one major life activity. As such, someone with a mental illness is protected against workplace discrimination and has the right to job accommodation should he or she need it.
The chance of someone developing a mental illness is higher when other family members have mental illnesses; however, because mental illnesses typically develop due to a combination of environment and life experiences, there is no way to test whether someone will or will not inherit a mental illness.
Most mental illnesses cannot be cured completely, but they can be successfully managed through treatment. The ultimate goal is to minimize the symptoms of a mental illness so that a person can fully function in all aspects of life.
The best way to help a person dealing with mental illness is to provide support and lend a listening ear. If you think someone may be in crisis or is considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Therapy is a treatment tool that involves regular meetings with a therapist to talk through complex emotions, behaviors or relationship issues. The goal is to resolve recurring problems and improve overall mental health. Bear River Mental Health employees several qualified mental health therapists in Logan, Brigham City, Garden City and Tremonton. Please contact us today to learn more.
Therapists work with patients to diagnose mental health disorders and create treatment plans, typically through regular supportive counseling. Psychologists have advanced degrees in psychology and typically specialize in assessment and testing. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can prescribe medications to patients. All three occupations often work together collaboratively for patient care.
Only mental health professionals with advanced medical degrees can prescribe medication, including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners and primary care physicians.
