Ways to close the mental healthcare gap, fostering healthy workplace

HOUSTON - The COVID-19 pandemic has played a big part in impacting people’s mental health and according to a recent survey, Texas ranks last in access to mental healthcare.

In a report from Mental Health America, around 62 percent of adults have a reported mental illness but don’t receive help.

Dr. Shelley Doumani-Semino, a Senior Medical Director of Behavioral Health at Aetna and a mental health expert for CVS Health answered some questions about why there is such a gap in mental health needs and health care and why fostering a healthy workplace is important for adults.

"If you have a mentally healthy workplace, it goes without saying that you're going to have better productivity, you're going to have better interpersonal relationships in the workplace," Dr. Doumani-Semino starts off by saying.

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In February 2021, 43.4 percent of Texas adults say they had symptoms of anxiety or depression, according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI).

During the pandemic, many people, especially workers, have had to face isolation from others and take on more tasks than previously with being confined to home for long periods of time.

Dr. Doumani-Semino shared, "The stress that was brought about by the pandemic certainly developed a great increase in the need for mental health services. And what we've seen is that mental health services have not been able to keep up with that demand."

In Texas, for every licensed mental health professional, there are at least 700 people who need care.

With more people developing a need for mental health care, many professionals aren’t available to help to tend to the rising demand of people who need help. Not only that, but the cost of healthcare has increased.

Another reason many people don’t reach out for care is the stigma that surrounds mental health illnesses.

"You believe that because you may have a mental health problem, that you are less than that people may discriminate against you, that you have either a moral failing or you become incompetent," Dr. Doumani-Semino told me.

She attributes a lot of the negative conversation about mental health to people's lack of understanding of the conditions.

Many individuals avoid seeking out care out of fear of how people may see them.

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In more recent years, the conversations about mental health have become more normalized and people are more open to voicing their own mental health journey.

"People who take the risk of sharing their story about their journey through mental health and the benefits that treatment has afforded them has become very important in letting others know that they're not alone, that it's okay to be okay, and that there is help for you and that you can overcome it," says Dr. Doumani-Semino.

With conversations becoming more open regarding mental health, many employers are doing their part to create more healthy workplaces for employees. 

Dr. Doumani-Semino explains how more workplaces are offering ways to help ease mental stress on workers such as flexible work schedules, offering work from home, and some even providing childcare for working parents.

She mentions, "All employee assistance programs, which are becoming more and more popular, thankfully, offer a place for employee employees to be able to call and get assessments for whatever crisis they feel that they may be engaged in, whether it's a life transition or a mental health problem."

Sometimes people can be struggling with their mental health and unsure how to take the first step to get care.

There are many warning signs people should watch out for to understand that you may be experiencing a mental health condition.

"When you find that you are isolated from others, you may have changes in your physical wellbeing, you may feel tired, you may feel on edge. You realize that you're not able to concentrate on the tasks of life that you would normally be able to concentrate on," Dr. Doumani-Semino says. "People may often find themselves increasing their use of alcohol or turning to other drugs that they may have dabbled in or not used before as a means of trying to deal with the stress."

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The goal is to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health and keep the conversations growing so more people are educated on how to better navigate their mental health struggles and understand reaching out for help is okay.

Dr. Doumani-Semino shared some apps she recommends for her patients to help with mindfulness and healthy living which includes Calm, Balance, and Headspace.

If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 (Crisis Text Line). As of July 2022, those searching for help can also call 988 to be relayed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.