By Jasmine Gill
Did you know that one in every five adults experiences a mental illness in a given year? Or that one in five youth from ages 13 to 18 experiences a severe mental disorder at some point in their life? That suicide is the number two killer of young adults? May is mental health awareness month and is the perfect time to learn more about mental health.
In society today, mental health issues are often stigmatized. Mental health awareness month is designed to break down this stigma, according to Julie Overstreet, director of development and outreach at the National Alliance on Mental Illness Brazos Valley.
“Mental illness is one of the few illnesses we just don’t talk about,” says Overstreet. “We know mental illness is real — we have all seen the brain scans. Yet when was the last time anyone called in sick because of depression? Stigma is what literally compels us to silence and it keeps people from getting the treatment they need — the help that they need.”
The National Alliance on Mental Illness is dedicated to helping individuals and families with mental illness lead better lives. NAMI Brazos Valley has three areas of focus when it comes to mental health: support, education, and advocacy.
Support groups are the heart of the NAMI Brazos Valley program, according to Overstreet. They have two support groups that meet once a week on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. One is for individuals experiencing mental health issues and the other is for family members.
“I think that something magical about support groups is that people come because they are having a hard time,” says Overstreet. “They continue to come as their situation improves. But they stay because they are now helping other people. There is something very healing about turning your own pain into helping someone with a similar situation.”
NAMI Brazos Valley offers many educational programs on mental health. Some of these programs include Help and Hope, Mental Health First Aid, and the Signature Programs.
Help and Hope is a program held every Third Thursday of each month that explores different topics related to mental health each session. “It is an educational, open to the public, free program with the purpose to invite people who would not normally use our services to come out [and learn],” says Overstreet.
Mental Health First Aid is a program where the public is taught what to do in a mental crisis. “Statistically, Texas is ranked 49 in spending on mental health,” says Overstreet. “For every one mental health professional there are 990 residents. In Brazos Valley, this number is even more dire. For Brazos County, it is one mental health professional for every 1,100 residents. We are not expecting an influx of any new mental health professionals, so that is why this class is so critical. It teaches community members to take care of themselves and each other just like a physical first aid class.”
Signature programs are evidence-based, free adult education designed for individuals who have mental health issues and their families, according to Overstreet. “These signature education classes are very comprehensive,” she says. “They cover everything from what the diagnosis means, to questions to ask the doctor, medicine and treatment, communication skills, and more.”
A lot of focus is on personal advocacy, according to Overstreet. “An example of this is when a mom called me because her daughter overdosed — it’s about going there and being there for her — holding her hand in the emergency room. And then being there for her daughter … and helping her get out without making things worse. We are the eyes and ears to help determine if there is a crisis and help determine what’s next.”
Something unique about NAMI is that everyone who works with them has a mental health diagnosis themselves or a family member with a mental issue, according to Overstreet. They are not only trained professionals but also have lived the experience.
“Mental health affects everyone,” says Overstreet. “If it’s not affecting you, then it could be somebody you care about. We are all on the same spectrum — on either preventing a mental health crisis, becoming unwell, having a crisis, recovering from a crisis, and then back to preventing. Just like with a physical illness, mental illness relies heavily on early prevention to having a good outcome. Starting conversation [about mental health] could be the first step in getting treatment and building a life worth living.”
For more information and resources, visit www.namibv.org, call (979) 774-4713, or email rsvp@namibv.org.
