Posted on March 8, 2021
NBC News
The candor Meghan Markle displayed while discussing suicidal ideation during her interview with Oprah Winfrey helped open the door for conversations about race and mental health, experts say. A combination of celebrity platform and the universal trauma of a pandemic have likely contributed to the impact of Meghan’s interview statements, said Dr. Christine Crawford, NAMI Associate Medical Director. “I think what has been the major tipping point was that more people now than ever before have actual firsthand experience as to what it's like to sit with significant depression and anxiety, and to have that in the context of people talking about mental health more, especially through social media,” Crawford said. “I’m incredibly encouraged by this.” Meghan’s comments about her struggle appeared to be mindful in that she understood her words could help further normalize conversations about mental health, particularly for women of color, Crawford said. It is important for women of color to see that even those who appear strong, successful and happy on the surface can be emotionally drained and feel that their mental health is unsupported, Crawford said. “To see these two individuals who are highly accomplished and successful, and especially one who is revealing what they've been going through ... to just see that on full display really just goes to show that even though you can carry the label as a strong Black woman you really have no idea as to what the truth is,” she said.
READ MOREPosted on March 5, 2021
Today.com
COVID-19 has tested us in many ways. Here’s how to determine if talking with a professional might help. There’s little doubt that a lot of people are struggling to cope right now. And it's not hard to see why. People are facing a lot of challenges: anxiety about getting sick, losing loved ones, grief over lost experiences, social unrest, unemployment, hunger and so much more, said Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO. “What we have is a full-blown mental health pandemic as well.” Not to mention nearly everyone’s in-person social lives and human interactions and connection have been limited in some way during the pandemic, Duckworth added. Your therapist’s role is to focus on you and what you’re going through and dealing with and has training to help you better understand how to cope and can be honest with you without fear of hurting a friendship. You’re not signing your life away just because you make an appointment with a therapist. Some people are looking for a long-term relationship when it comes to therapy. For others, one to three sessions of therapy can really help, Duckworth explained. Every provider has a unique personality, too, that may or may not suit you, Duckworth said. It’s okay to tell your therapist he or she isn’t a good match. People in your life whom you trust can be really helpful in pointing you in the right direction or recommending providers they’ve worked with, Duckworth said. Or start with your primary care provider.
READ MOREPosted on March 5, 2021
CNN
For many in the AAPI community, just leaving home requires a new routine and a mental shift that prioritizes survival. It's coupled with a subtle fear, wondering if they or a loved one will become the next victim. While Covid-19 may be raising the xenophobic flames right now, racism against Asian Americans is not new. Dr. Doris Chang and her team are currently studying the Asian American experience during the pandemic in combination with the protests over George Floyd's murder. Their goal is to ultimately promote alliances and solidarity with Black Lives Matter and immigrants' rights groups. But her initial findings reveal disturbing figures for her own community. In her survey of nearly 700 Asian Americans across the country, 16% reported being deliberately coughed or spat on. And 24% reported workplace discrimination while 14% said they had been barred from an establishment like a shop. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, members of the AAPI community are the least likely to seek help of any racial group. In 2019, the organization claims, only 23.3% of AAPI adults with mental illness were receiving treatment. To help raise awareness about mental health offerings for AAPI individuals, NAMI has listed a number of resources specifically designed for Asian Americans.
READ MOREPosted on February 27, 2021
INSIDER
Amid the mental health crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, people with OCD are experiencing unique difficulties. The pandemic has led to 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression, an increase from the one in ten adults, according to Kaiser Family Foundation research. Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO, told Insider: "We have certainly seen an increase of anxiety disorders at NAMI. There's also been a big leap in people with germ phobias being provoked by COVID-19." Hand-washing to prevent the coronavirus' spread is particularly tough for suffers from contamination OCD, a sub-type of the condition. After years of being told to stop washing their hands to control their condition, the new message to wash their hands to prevent COVID-19 can be mind-boggling.
READ MOREPosted on February 23, 2021
The Hill
Opinion piece by Daniel Gillison, NAMI CEO and Andy Keller, president and CEO of Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute focused on access to care and how people suffering from inadequately treated mental health issues disproportionately drive excess medical costs. The crisis is now of such magnitude that a failure by legislators and policy makers to shore-up an overwhelmed mental health care system could cripple recovery. Post-COVID forecasts warn that the cost of treating widespread anxiety and depression will create a $1.6 trillion drag on the U.S. economy. The National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that untreated mental illness already costs us up to $300 billion annually due to lost productivity and associated costs due to absenteeism, employee turnover and increases in medical and disability expenses.
READ MOREPosted on February 23, 2021
Parents.com
With reports of learning losses, depression and anxiety, and lack of socialization, parents are worried their kids may suffer the consequences of the pandemic for years to come. Jennifer Rothman, senior manager of youth and young adult information/initiatives at NAMI, says we don't know what the impacts of the pandemic on kids' mental health in the long run will be just yet. Data from the CDC show that while overall rates of ER visits have decreased during COVID, the proportion of visits related to mental health emergencies has grown—up 24% for kids ages 5 to 11 and 31% for kids ages 12 to 17. If parents believe their child is struggling with a mental illness, a good first step is to contact their pediatrician for an evaluation, says Rothman. "From there, your pediatrician will be able to refer you to specialists to decide on what treatment options will work best for your child," she says. "The earlier your child starts treatment, the better the outcomes." While parents are naturally concerned about their kids, Rothman's biggest worry is the stress and heaviness that's weighing on all members of a family, including parents. Her No. 1 tip for parents is to make sure they're taking care of themselves and seeking help when they need it. "Self-care is extremely important when you're caring for others," she says.
READ MOREPosted on February 19, 2021
HealthDay
Scientists may have uncovered the reason critical medications for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder cause weight gain and diabetes, findings they hope will lead to better drugs. In fact, these side effects commonly drive patients to stop taking the drugs, said Dr. Ken Duckworth, CMO, NAMI. Duckworth, who was not involved in the new research, said it's important to understand why those adverse effects occur. These findings, he said, "begin to unravel" the issue. The takeaway, both Duckworth and Freyberg said, is that patients' difficulties with current antipsychotics are being heard. "Scientists are working on this," Duckworth said. For now, the challenge for patients is to manage the side effects the best they can. The first step is being aware that they can happen, Duckworth noted, since people being newly prescribed an antipsychotic are not necessarily able to process all the information they're receiving. For their part, Duckworth said, doctors should be monitoring patients' weight, blood sugar and cholesterol, to catch unhealthy changes.
READ MOREPosted on February 17, 2021
The New York Times
With anxiety and depression on the rise during the pandemic, it has been challenging for people to get the help they need. Since the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the United States more than a year ago, the number of people in need of mental health services has surged. But many say that they are languishing on waiting lists, making call after call only to be turned away, with affordable options tough to find. Providers, who have long been in short supply, are stretched thin. If you’re looking for support groups, check out the resources at the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Eating Disorders Association, Alcoholics Anonymous or the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.
READ MOREPosted on February 16, 2021
Scripps National News Network
“Just to get onto a level playing field [with people of other races], you’ve got to be two to three steps better than, so you can’t be vulnerable,” said Dan Gillison, CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “You can’t show any, what would be considered in the [Black] community, weakness.” Gillison says Black men and women have a difficult time showing vulnerability, and even getting to the point of admitting an issue, because of slavery and inequities that still harm communities of color. Research also shows that there are also socioeconomic factors that affect access to health care and exposure to contributing mental health factors, such as homelessness and crime. Gillison says, however, that the pandemic has started to open up conversations about mental health that have not previously circulated in communities of color. “You’re starting to see more people say, 'I live with, I exist with, I accomplished with this,' and it’s starting to resonate in communities of color,” Gillison said.
READ MOREPosted on February 16, 2021
Today.com
After his own experiences grappling with depression and anxiety, Lorenzo Lewis wanted to help Black men and boys with their mental health. Lewis felt it was especially important to address mental health among Black men because the need is great. Only 4% of therapists are Black, according to the American Psychological Association, and fewer than that are Black men. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Black people don’t always receive mental health care when it's needed — about 1 in 3 Black people receive care for their mental health. So, Lewis approached local barbers in Little Rock, Arkansas to discuss his vision for The Confess Project: an organization focused on training barbers to become mental health advocates in their communities. Lewis felt it was essential to enlist barbers in his efforts because he understood their importance to the community and believed many men would relate more to their barber than an outsider, such as an expert from a university.
READ MORENAMI HelpLine is available M-F, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET. Call 800-950-6264,
text “helpline” to 62640, or chat online. In a crisis, call or text 988 (24/7).
