Mental Health

The brain is an organ capable of sorting through thousands of random, dramatic, upsetting, or horrifying thoughts to find the specific ideas and sensations we require to keep us entertained in order to lead our lives purposefully. Our brains are so efficient that we often overlook how remarkable the complexity is behind our mental health. In a healthy state of mind, our feelings of clarity and purpose are supported by a near-miraculous set of background processes. Mental health is what makes life worth living. It allows us to be a part of life. There are so many advantages to being healthy mentally, such as:

• Forming meaningful relationships
• Freedom from fear
• Security
• Peace-of-mind
• Using skills to deal with stress
• Tapping into creativity
• Expressing yourself
• Being productive
• Appreciating your life regardless of the circumstances

A healthy mind does not dwell on traumatic events. When they occur, it processes them as memories that can be accessed without inducing panic. When we are interviewing for a new job or going on a date, a healthy mind does not force us to listen to inner voices that tell us we are unworthy or unlikable. In the same way that we would converse with a friend, it allows us to speak with ourselves.

A healthy mind can resist the temptation to unfairly compare oneself to others. The fact that others have achieved success should not cause us to feel inadequate about our accomplishments. A healthy mind reminds us of all the different paths people take to get where they are and does not find fault in our own.

These are just a few small choices a healthy mind makes for us that contribute to a happy life. However, mental health is not always prioritized in the United States. Mental health treatment is often viewed as a luxury. Only recently has it become apparent that maintaining mental health is just as important as physical health. The National Institute of Mental Health states that 51.5 million people in the United States, or nearly 1 out of 5, live with a mental health illness. Anything that affects this many individuals should be considered a humanitarian concern.

Millions of people suffer from a wide range of mental illnesses. Mental health disorders can affect different facets of a person’s life. Just like the body, there are many ways that disease can manifest. Some of the most common include:

• Addiction and Substance Use Disorders
• Anxiety Disorders
• Depression
• Dissociative Disorders
• Eating Disorders
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Personality Disorders
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Schizophrenia

At California Care Recovery, we aim to be part of the solution. We are dedicated to providing comprehensive, specialized care that genuinely effective mental health treatment requires. No one has to address their mental health alone. Our experience and expertise are coupled with a deep desire to help patients reach a state of well-being. While all effective solutions are needed, our commitment to seeing real results sets us apart.

The events in the United States and around the world have left millions vulnerable to mental health issues over the last few years. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant alterations in individuals’ lives. The quarantine has introduced daily isolation to many people's lives. The loss of jobs and market instability creates anxiety beyond the usual stress. The lack of freedom and human connection can create a negative state of mental health.

The human cost of the pandemic leaves a mark on those affected by it. In the days and weeks following a traumatic event, such as those experienced in a pandemic, many people experience distress, including new or worsening symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as sleep disturbances like insomnia. The majority of patients will recover, but it may take some time. Mental illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder or major depressive disorder can be diagnosed in a significant proportion of people who experience chronic symptoms. This has become a typical response to the stressors of a pandemic. With so many risk factors, now more than ever, it is time to care for mental health as we do on our physical health.

What keeps mental health from receiving the support it deserves is the stigma attached to mental illness. Mental illness has been relegated by “Us and Them” regarding those with mental illness. Due to the complexity of the human mind, any problems that arise in a person’s mental health are bound to be challenging to understand. It requires modern psychological research and advances in medicine–things that have only been available for a relatively short amount of time–to treat mental illness effectively. Societies around the world and throughout time have been at a loss for how to address issues of mental health, and a stigma developed that remains today.

The negative connotation around mental healthcare is slipping away, fortunately. Seeking treatment for mental health is the same as seeking treatment for a broken bone--the difference is how we can care for mental health. At California Care Recovery, we see living proof every day that breaking down the stigma happens one patient at a time. The stigma that exists represents an unacknowledged need: good mental health, like good physical health, is not always a given. The right to invest in mental well-being is available now more than ever. If there is no shame in needing glasses, there should be no shame in needing a solid foundation of well-being.