Tag: Depression

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Local Psychotherapist Talks Men’s Mental Health Amid New Study

Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

Information released by Mental Health America, a national nonprofit “dedicated to the promotion of mental health” through public education, research advocacy, public policy, and direct service, showed that out of 151,781,326 people in the male population of the U.S., about six million are affected by depression.

Mental Health America said that male depression often goes undiagnosed, and is one of five major mental health problems affecting men. Others include anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychosis and schizophrenia, and eating disorders.

According to Rick Harrell of RH Counseling Services in Memphis, men are less likely to seek out mental health services. A January 2023 report from Statista estimated that 12.1 percent of U.S. men received mental health treatment or counseling in the past year (2021).

“A lot of that comes from the various stigmas that come along with getting help,” said Harrell. “[Like] if you seek out help in some way, you’re crazy, or all the stigmas that come with that. Men also internalize things more than women do, and they try to just deal with it on their own.”

The information compiled by Mental Health America states that some of the reasons men fail to seek help are societal norms, reluctance to talk, and downplaying of symptoms.

While these stigmas have always existed, Harrell said that there has been more of an emphasis on mental health lately, which has resulted in more men enrolling in counseling services.

A poll issued by East Tennessee State University (ETSU) showed that the mental health of Tennesseans was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. A poll conducted by the Applied Social Research Lab at ETSU concluded that “4.6% of Tennesseans were symptomatic of anxiety and 27.1% were symptomatic of depressive disorder.”

While the pandemic undoubtedly had an effect on mental health, it also led to more people seeking out counseling and therapy services. The National Library of Medicine reported that as of September 2020, men sought out these services at a higher rate than women.

Harrell has seen this in his own practice, as well. He said that in his 24 years of practice, he’s seen a majority of his male patients coming as a result of being pushed or ordered to attend — as a result of a court order or couple’s counseling. He has recently seen a shift, where more men are coming on their own accord.

“I have seen over the last few years, post-pandemic, more men take the initiative to seek out therapy on their own,” said Harrell. “I think we’re becoming more knowledgeable about it, and I think the stigmas that have been associated with getting mental health services — we’re beginning to dispel some of those things.

“It’s okay to not be okay, but it’s not okay to stay not okay,” said Harrell. “Knowing that there’s help out here, and you can heal from the issues. I think when we keep it in the forefront and we continue to dispel the myths and the stigmas that center around mental health and educate our communities, we begin to make some improvements in that space.”

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Letter From The Editor Opinion

You Are Enough

Photo: Marcel Strauß | Unsplash

I experienced my first deep loss at 5 years old — a great-aunt committed suicide. My young mind couldn’t make sense of it. We used to spend afternoons together, taking walks in the neighborhood. Most memories have faded now, but I do recall her smiling and laughing. I could never understand why she chose to end her life. After that day, every time I’d visit or pass that house, I’d envision her outside, wrestling with the idea, and ultimately pulling the trigger. It was a lot for a child’s brain to process.

In my early twenties, I lost three friends to suicide — by hanging and by gun. Later, a person very close to me slit her wrists. I remember receiving the phone call and rushing to the hospital, where she told me, essentially, that she’d failed that time, but I’d eventually have to let her go — she wasn’t meant for this world. In an unbelievable turn of events, after being medically treated, she was sent to jail (please see editor’s note at the end of this article). Not released to go home, to family, to be with friends for encouragement and support. She spent about a month in the county jail before being transferred to a mental health facility and eventually being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Why jail was ever a step in this situation always baffled me — what a place to be when you’re already in such a fragile state. (I’m grateful to report today, all these years later, that she is healthy, happily married, and living a full life.)

These losses and experiences have been on my mind of late, as May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Of course, mental health challenges don’t always lead to suicide or suicidal ideation. They can present in the form of emotional outbursts, isolation, mania, insomnia. Anxiety, depression, substance-abuse disorder, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and post-traumatic stress disorder are among the technical terms for such diagnoses. And many of us have either struggled with one or more of the aforementioned or know someone who has.

There is often a stigma surrounding mental health, which can make it difficult to address. How do you treat yourself if you’re experiencing overwhelming stress or incredibly low lows? Do you reach out to friends or family? Do you go to therapy? Do you consider discussing with a doctor? Do you hold it all in and wait for the storms to pass?

If a loved one expresses anxiety or depression and shares with you stories of their battles, do you lend a sympathetic ear? Or do you tell them in short to buck up, buttercup — “It’s all in your head. You can control that. Just use your willpower, honey. You’re stronger than this.” (Don’t do the latter, please.) Sometimes, a person needs only for you to sit with them in silence, be present alongside their sadness or stresses — not offering solutions, just your attention.

It’s never an easy path to navigate in either situation, whether it’s you or another person going through it. But it’s important to look for signs and symptoms, and address them as soon — and as gently — as possible.

Throughout the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, many people’s mental health took a hit. During the peak and aftermath of Covid, suicide and overdose rates swelled. This could be attributed to heightened instances of domestic violence as people were forced to stay home; loss of income due to society shutdown; increased anxiety and depression amid endless news reports and statistics, and confusion and fear of the virus. We experienced collective trauma, leading to loneliness and even cognitive and behavioral changes that some have yet to recover from. And while, in the grand scheme, the worst of that is behind us, many are still finding it difficult to engage in the same ways they did pre-pandemic.

We all handle life’s challenges differently. We carry our own traumas. No two brains function the same when it comes to confronting or working to overcome mental health crises.

Think of your own internal landscapes, how they ebb and flow, and use this knowledge when interacting with others. You never know what weight someone’s carrying with them.

If you find yourself in a dark place today, remember that your success rate for making it through tough days so far is 100 percent. Hang on, hang in.

You are enough. You are worthy of love. You are never a burden. And there are many beautiful tomorrows — sunrises, sunsets, smiles, handshakes, hugs, hot meals, cool breezes, soft blankets, so many lovely things — waiting for you around this bend.

Help is available 24/7 if you need it. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.

*Editor’s note: Since publishing this article, it has come to our attention that the person who attempted suicide had their civil rights violated by being detained. Attempted suicide is not illegal in the United States.

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Opinion The Last Word

The Rant (August 21, 2014)

CREDIT: FeatureFlash | Dreamstime.com

Several days before the shocking death of Robin Williams, an old friend posted a “confession” on Facebook that read, in part: “I’ve been lying to people for 40 years, and I’m just tired of lying. As recently as this morning, I’ve told people I had a stomachache or the flu when the truth is I’ve had severe clinical depression since I was 20 years old. The kind where you want to kill yourself. The kind where you’re ready to do ANYTHING to stop the pain.Yes, I tried to kill myself. I’ve been hospitalized three times. I’ve taken almost every kind of antidepressant known to man. It has hurt my relationships, my career, my sanity, everything in my life. So many people say suicide is ‘selfish,’ but they don’t understand that depression makes you crazy, and people who commit suicide are not in their ‘right mind.’ By now, I know I’m not going to kill myself because I can push those thoughts aside, but it’s not easy. It’s a real fight…a real struggle. Being able to talk about it helps. YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND GET TREATMENT, OR IT WILL KILL YOU!”

FeatureFlash | Dreamstime.com

Robin Williams

I never knew and commended him for speaking out, and then watched in astonishment as his brief remarks were shared more than 100 times and garnered 500-plus comments, mostly from others who had experienced some form of severe depression — like me. I was diagnosed with clinical depression with an anxiety disorder in 1987, and I have “managed” my illness with antidepressant medication for nearly 30 years. I expect to be on medication for the rest of my days, but I don’t mind, since they saved my life. “Depression” is different than “clinical depression.” No one in this life remains untouched by tragedy or loss, and it is natural to experience pain or grief. These periods of intense sadness, sometimes with the help of an antidepressant, ultimately grow easier to bear while the memories still linger. Clinical depression is a disease caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain and needs to be treated with a combination of medication and therapy. Unfortunately, the prescriptions for psychiatric medicine fly off the pads of any doctor holding a pen with “Prozac” printed on it, and patients are left to fend for themselves, deprived of crucial counseling.

It started for me at 19. I asked my friends if anyone else was experiencing these feelings of despair until I believed that it was only me, and I stopped talking about it. I thought that this was my lot in life and probably something I deserved. I rationalized my darkness by believing that there was some nobility in suffering that I would one day understand if I could only endure. I put on a cheerful face although my personal joy was gone.

As an entertainer, I was able to perform for large crowds, then go home and not come out until the next gig. There were groceries to buy, so I shopped at 2 a.m., when the store was empty, rather than run the risk of abandoning my cart in a store full of people and running for the nearest exit. I couldn’t eat in a fast-food restaurant without feeling rage at other people who seemed to be managing their lives while I was in inner turmoil. Then came the questions, “Why me?” and “What did I do wrong to end up here?” I have seen the destruction suicide has caused and would never take my own life out of concern for my loved ones, but I thought about it. I would never have recognized my obsessive introspection as an illness had I not seen my symptoms listed in a self-help book. It took me 16 years of tightly-controlled mania before seeking professional help.

Imbalanced brain chemistry messes with your “fight or flight” response. Under the most ordinary circumstances, your brain suddenly tells you that you are in danger when in reality you are not. This is what causes “panic attacks,” because of the confusion and anxiety. Soon, you avoid those places where an attack occurred to preclude the risk of another. Sadness is a precursor to life, but clinical depression manifests itself in physical ways — among them a tightness in the chest accompanied by a rapid heartbeat. The muscle around the heart becomes sore over time, causing chest pains. In my everyday interactions, I suffered head-to-toe soaking sweats, often needing to towel off after a simple discussion. My greatest fear was having to deal with auto mechanics. If there’s a Latin word for that phobia, I don’t know it. Globus is a condition often described as a “lump in the throat,” but depressives feel a constriction, accompanied by dry mouth and difficulty swallowing. And then there are the headaches. All types of headaches — migraine, cluster, light sensitive, tension. After a self-induced, terror-ridden trip on the interstate, my skull ached so unbearably, I’d take a fistful of Excedrin and lie in the dark, praying for sleep. Insomnia, that’s one more thing.

These are side effects of an illness. If you recognize them, get help from a psychologist or psychiatrist, and if you can’t do that, talk with a counselor or advisor.  In the past, health insurance companies were unwilling to cover mental illness. Now they must.

I was fortunate to find an experienced doctor who put me through a battery of psychological tests called the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. He then read an intricate description of my mental state that was so accurate I thought he’d been reading my journal. The medication was hardly as advanced as today’s, and I was told that it might be a month before I felt a difference. But within a week, as if by magic, the gloom began to lift from my shoulders. I could talk to people and look them in the eyes again. It was as if my real self had been returned to me. I was never secretive about my illness because I wanted to shout to the world about this miracle.

I can now live my life unburdened by depression, but I know it’s always there. I can still feel it sometimes, but understand that, like the weather, it will pass. Without daily medication, I could never have worked a normal job or written a column or gotten married or even something so simple as gone on a trip. Some depressives take refuge in reading. It can prevent a gloomy mood from turning into something more serious. I hesitate to admit it, as a sedentary person, but vigorous exercise also helps. And although it may be difficult, talk to somebody. An estimated 20 million Americans suffer from depression. You are not, nor have you ever been, alone.

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Opinion Viewpoint

Topical Depression

It comforts me that Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve Board and an architect of the financial bailout plan, is a specialist in the Great Depression. This, of course, was the economic calamity that beset the United States from 1929 to about 1942 and ended only when America went to war. What stopped the Depression was a worldwide bloodbath.

Anyone who knows the history of those awful times has to be chastened. The Depression was not, after all, simply an economic crisis. It was also a political and cultural one. It contributed to the rise of totalitarian movements abroad — both in Europe and Japan — and some pretty ugly political movements here as well. These things are hard to measure, but American democracy’s closest call probably came during the Great Depression.

The rhetoric in Washington seems oblivious to history. It talks only of financial matters, and it searches, as any mindless politician must, for culprits. Greed is blamed, as if it is something new or controllable, and the entire problem is discussed as if failure will do nothing but endanger some rich institutions and their equally rich managers. The Great Depression teaches otherwise.

Throughout Europe during the Depression came the rise of fascist parties — the Nazis in Germany, the Union of Fascists in Britain, the Croix-de-Feu in France. Elsewhere, communist parties were emboldened. People were desperate, and they looked for desperate solutions.

It is hard to envision anything like this happening again. But why not? The world is a smaller place than it was in 1929. We have become globalized, financial markets intertwined as never before. During the Depression, nations moved to close their borders to refugees. How could more people be let into a country — any country — when those already there were out of work? America, too, clamped down on refugees, even though many of them were fleeing for their very lives. In 1939, the St. Louis, a ship carrying Jewish refugees, went from Germany to Cuba and back to Europe because its passengers were not welcome anywhere on this side of the Atlantic.

It is harder still to envision anything like that happening today. But, again, why not? The zeitgeist changes instantly. Less than two years ago, the world was awash in credit, and then, within months, there was none to be found. The housing market plummeted. Mortgages turned out not to be worth the paper they were written on. Circumstances were suddenly different. If circumstances become even more different, who knows what could happen?

Much has been made of the so-called culture wars in America. The McCain-Palin ticket represents one culture and Obama-Biden another. But this clash is not about culture per se — otherwise, how could the mother of an unwed pregnant teenager be the conservative while her opponents, as conventional as Saturday night at the VFW, are the liberals? No, it’s really about outlook. Barack Obama’s people feel they have control over their lives. Sarah Palin’s people do not have a similar confidence.

This is why the Republican National Convention made war on the media. This is why Palin frequently has referred to “the pollsters and the pundits.” These were the hidden manipulators of the culture and the economy, part of the often-invisible elitists who made it so bad for everyone else. They controlled the culture, the smut that came into one’s home on the TV set and what was playing at the multiplex. They owned the banks and the newspapers and the TV networks — and it didn’t matter that their name could be Rupert Murdoch and they could be deeply conservative. As Don Quixote knew, “facts are the enemy of truth.” Hard times are hard on truth.

The Great Depression was not just a period of wholesale unemployment and incredible poverty — of bread lines and apple-peddlers and women selling brief intimacy for 10 cents a dance. It was also the period of Hitler and Mussolini and, in this country, of Huey Long and Father Charles Coughlin and the belief among otherwise sane people that communism was the remedy for what ailed us. An economic crisis is like war. It’s impossible to contain. It affects everything it touches.

Ben Bernanke knows all this. He might focus on the raw numbers of the Great Depression — “I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished,” Franklin Roosevelt said — but he would also have to know the social and cultural ramifications. You can, if you want, say the bailout program is about the future. But it’s really about the past.

Richard Cohen writes for the Washington Post Writers Group.