El Dorado Mayor Veronica Smith-Creer declared May Mental Health Awareness Month last week, making the proclamation at an awareness event held at the South Arkansas Regional Health Center.
“It’s important for people who have those issues to understand that they can get help,” Smith-Creer said. “And sometimes, it’s minimal. We have a lot of people, that I’ve found, that have been arrested and other things, because that’s the underlying issue – there’s a mental health issue that hasn’t been addressed.”
Marla Benson, human resources director for SARHC, said mental health care is often stigmatized in society, leading to worse health outcomes for those dealing with a mental health condition.
SARHC provides a host of mental health care services, including treatments for behavioral health problems, substance abuse problems and intellectual and developmental disability services.
In Union County, the most common mental health conditions seen at SARHC are anxiety disorders, mood disorders and adjustment disorders.
“People who are sick, they’ll go to the doctor, but they don’t seem to deal with mental conditions the same way they do [other] medical conditions,” Benson said. “There’s a stigma attached to it and that’s what needs to be stopped.”
SARHC will continue to spread awareness about mental health care this week, with events in Camden and Magnolia. Both cities’ mayors are expected to attend.
May as Mental Health Awareness Month began 70 years ago as an effort to raise awareness of about mental health conditions and mental health care. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five Americans will be affected by a mental health condition in their lifetime.
NAMI says only half of those affected by mental health conditions receive treatment, oftentimes due to stigma. Benson said part of this month’s mission is to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness.
Without treatment, mental illness can cause higher medical expenses, poorer performance at work and school, fewer employment opportunities and an increased risk of suicide.
“It is important to really look at your overall health, both physical and mentally, to achieve wellness,” said SARHC CEO Regina Pierce in a press release. “Finding a reason to laugh, going for a walk with a friend, playing with a pet, visiting with a friend, doing something you find pleasurable or getting a massage can go a long way in making you both physically and mentally healthy – it’s all about finding the right balance to benefit both the mind and body.”
Smith-Creer said she agreed with all of the parts of the proclamation she made, which stated the importance of mental health care for every person, the prevalence they have in the country, the responsibility of a community to share the burden of mental health care and the value of accessible mental health treatment services.
For more information about the South Arkansas Regional Health Center and the services provided there, call 870-862-7921 or visit www.sarhc.com.
Caitlan Butler can be reached at 870-862-6611 or [email protected].