Mental Health Awareness

As a licensed clinical social worker, I am pleased to hear that many influential individuals have come forward to recognize and discuss the importance of mental health issues. This can lead to an increased focus on those issues and what needs exist in the community. The overall impact could lead to funding programs and continuous awareness.

Simultaneously, I believe it is important that we, as mental health professionals, become involved in these discussions to ensure that the issues are being evaluated in terms of clinical knowledge and concepts. This can add to an accurate understanding of these concepts in order that we can continue these discussions and, hopefully, add clarity to help reduce stigmas surrounding mental health issues.

If we do not manage this evaluation correctly, individuals who are less aware might identify too highly with influential individuals and, without much further evaluation of their individual circumstances, suspend their responsibilities or goals in place of the need for self care. This could potentially result in consequences that could impact their ability to function at a basic level in other areas of their lives. In clinical social work, we study the impact of the social and environmental factors on mental health. Therefore, if an individual with low income and limited social support decides to not go to work in order to engage in self care, he or she could potentially be putting his or her job at risk. If this individual ends up losing his or her job, there is a possibility that he or she could not pay rent, for instance, and lose housing. This social and environmental consequence could result in a negative impact on his or her health due to the level of worry and anxiety involved in this decision. This decision and potential resulting impact looks a little different than a world athlete deciding to not compete in an event as this latter decision might not impact his or her basic level of functioning to such a high degree when thinking of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This does not minimize that the athlete still had a difficult decision to make but the consequences of this decision are different, while still significant to that individual, than the earlier scenario presented.

Within this discussion, it is my professional opinion that it is realistic to look at the risk factors (those that put an individual at greater “risk” during times of crisis) and protective factors (those that could “protect” an individual in a time of crisis) in an individual’s life when evaluating the need for self care in place of the individuals’ responsibilities. Again, while this is not meant to minimize the experience of the influential individuals who recently disclosed their need for self care and concerns for their mental health in place of participating in athletic competition, these individuals could possibly have a high level of protective factors, such as financial security, social support and the attainment of a high level in their career that could give them the opportunity to choose the option of self care in a safer manner than others who are not as fortunate to have these protective factors. In my career as a clinical social worker and working with individuals who often have limited protective factors and a higher level of risk factors I would want to ensure they have fully evaluated the realistic implications of not going to work in order to engage in self care. How would this impact their finances and their ability to keep their job, for instance? Would the consequences of suspending their responsibility of work be greater and have a residual impact on their mental health functioning? Or, would it be more important for this individual to engage in self care if the other alternative would result in such a decline in their mental functioning if they did not take a pause? And, what would the potential psychological ramifications of this decision be? These are tough decisions but imminent to discuss with clients who might be in a more vulnerable place.

Therefore, as clinical social workers and counselors, I believe we have the responsibility to help our clients to evaluate ways to engage in self care without suspending their responsibilities, whenever possible, and especially if they do not have as many protective factors as the individuals portrayed in the media. This could be done in ways such as identifying activities that do not take a long time but result in a high level of calmness and stress reduction. It can be a fine balance and each situation should be evaluated closely to understand which decision would be potentially more detrimental and which decision would be the most appropriate and beneficial for his/her individual situation.

I would like to close by reiterating that this does not negate the fact that I am grateful for the bravery of the influential individuals to openly discuss their mental health concerns. Hopefully, their disclosure will result in meaningful and productive conversations about the seriousness of paying attention to mental health symptoms and their impact on individual functioning. Ultimately, prevention is the best line of defense and individuals will not be faced as often with these decisions regarding suspending their responsibilities or not if they are engaging in continual self awareness and preventative measures.

Written By: Heather Burroughs, LCSW Heather Burroughs is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Florida. She has over 25 years of professional social work experience, mainly in the healthcare arena. Additionally, she has over 10 years of teaching experience in Clinical Social Work and Professional Counseling programs. She is committed to raising awareness of and reducing stigmas surrounding mental health issues.