The Importance of Mental Health Services
Mental health is the social, emotional and psychological well being of an individual. It impacts our thoughts, feelings, actions, and how we manage stressors in our life. Mental health is universal, it impacts individuals regardless of their age and background. And just like our physical well being, it requires guidance to keep healthy. It is very important that we provide mental health services to those in need to help them reach their full potential, cope with stressors of life and engage with their community or work.
Mental health services aim to simply improve and maintain mental health, hence there are a variety of service types available. Trained professional team(s) or individuals can work together or one-on-one to work with a patient/client using many strategies. There are many specific professions that deal with different mental health issue types and have the expertise to work with their patients/clients for the best service. There are support groups, dual diagnosis treatment, psychotherapy, medication, psychiatric hospitalizations, and more treatments that will accommodate for the patient/client’s mental health issue improvement. These treatments will have different results in accordance with the patient/client because everyone is different and everyone has a different journey to getting better. Choosing the right treatment can often be a difficult process, and it can take time to determine the most effective treatment.
How do you determine whether you need to reach out or not? There are no criteria to get help, therefore all services are available to everyone. As an individual, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health issues. There are many resources available to get more information and learn more about mental health issues. These resources include but are not limited to brochures, websites, books, organizations, healthcare websites, journals, and articles. The steps to take when you have signs of mental health issues are: tell a support person (1), go to a medical professional (2), get a referral and go see a mental health professional that has expertise in mental health and/or substance use (3). There are helplines and hotlines for convenience and fast service for the need for support with an absence of in-person support. On the other hand, “Wait times for counselling and therapy can be long, especially for children and youth. In Ontario, wait times of six months to one year are common” (CAMH). Embracing telehealth solutions can cut down the waiting times and prevent no-shows or late arrivals.
There are numerous benefits of using and/or considering mental health services. The treatments and expertise are proven to improve quality of life and productivity. With the increasing prevalence of mental health issues in Ontario, mental health services have the potential to lower percentages and maintain the health of mental health patients. Overall, the use of mental health services among those reporting mental health issues increased over time. For participants with past-year major depressive episodes, the percentage of individuals not using mental health services was 48.8% in 2002, decreasing to 35.6% in 2012 as per Figure 1. A major component of mental health services is the aspect of awareness in our everyday lives. Awareness is intertwined with the concept of stigma related to mental health: deconstructing the stigma around mental health and promoting mental health awareness results in more credibility and trust in mental health services. The information shared between a professional and their patient/client is entirely confidential. Therefore, many platforms and organizations are reaching out to youth by broadening their accessibility and convenience.
Improving and maintaining your mental health allows you to focus on the things that you care about and gives you a sense of purpose for every aspect of your life. For more details and help, visit www.ysb.ca and/or www.camh.ca. For a crisis line and support services, call 613–269–2360 and/or 1–833–456–4566.
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About the Author: Harneet Sumal is a passionate writer and learner close to the end of high school. Healthcare is very important in her life and strives to do good for the community by volunteering at the hospital and the local library. Reading the latest young adult novels, watching movies, and running are among her favourite things to do during her free time. She aspires to help others, travel and enjoy life.
