I recently had a conversation via text message with a group of women who I consider to be well-resourced. By that, I mean they keep up on current events, read a variety of a books and articles, watch documentaries, engage in social media and more. Mental health is a topic that comes up in this group chat, so I sent them a picture of the Time Magazine special edition titled "Mental Health: A New Understanding." They asked where I found this great resource, to which I replied "While standing in line at the grocery store." Surprisingly, most of them noted that they use grocery delivery services and online shopping so they don't stand in grocery lines anymore.  

Equally surprising is my reaction: A shift in my thinking about standing in lines. I would've missed this resource had I not been in line, glancing through the magazine selection. Moral to this blog: Grocery shopping can lead to access to Mental Health resources.  

A quick reflection on this Time Magazine special edition. One of the first articles addresses the need to shift our words to de-stigmatize mental health. I'm a huge proponent of this strategy because it doesn't cost money and has potential to increase mental health and access to treatment. One of my personal missions is to cultivate communities-of-care and the words we use are important to promoting care. One of the last articles focuses on how to help someone who is going through a mental health challenge. It includes several suggestions for phrases and questions to use in those moments, as well as strategies for being there for someone who is suffering from a mental health challenge, including mental illness.  

The bulk of the articles feature a variety of treatments that have been researched. In MH Ed Group terms, "researched" means these treatments are evidence-enhanced. And articles don't ONLY center on talk therapy. Treatments such as pet-assisted therapy, use of magic mushrooms and ecstasy, genetic testing, exercise, nutrition and gardening are reviewed. One stood out to me: Floating for anxiety and stress. It stood out because it is new to me. Floating is basically what it sounds like: you float on your back in a super-salty pool for hours in a darkened, calm room. Existing research results are enticing because the brain can reach a meditative state that helps quiet the amygdala with longer lasting effects than prescription medication. Very simply put, calming the amygdala means slowing the release of stress hormones in the body, which happens when you experience real or perceived threats. Fight-Flight-Freeze. I'm intrigued by Floating and will be following research on the subject.

Notably missing from the special edition is addressing mental health within non-White, hetero-normative communities. For instance, there is no discussion of the role of spirituality and religion in mental health. In Black communities, religion can be a source for mental health care and a reason not to seek help from a mental health professional. Believing in something greater than yourself, such as God, can be a protective factor for mental health, regardless of race or ethnicity. Also, there are only a few pictures that include people of color. The LGBTQ community also experiences mental health conditions differently than hetero-normative communities. For instance, an individual suffering from a mental health challenge who is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer must deal with stigma associated with their sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as stigma associated with mental health. Income is linked to mental health outcomes. Poverty is associated with more mental health challenges. Low-income Americans have a harder time accessing resources. These are a few topics that were not addressed in this issue that are important to us at MH Ed Group. Suggested additional reading on these topics are linked below.

I'm not sure why these areas were not included in the Time Magazine special edition. I do know that I really enjoyed reading it and learned new things about mental health. Someday, I'd like to see a mainstream magazine that reflects the diversity of Americans and mental health. Maybe it's out there and I simply haven't found it yet. This Time special edition was on shelves until December 14, 2018. You may access similar articles on Time Magazine's Mental Health web page.   

Additional Reading:

Mental Health Care in the Black Community by Krystal Reddick, Huffington Post, 7/11/2014

African American Mental Health, NAMI, 2018

LGBTQ, NAMI, 2018

The Trevor Support Center, The Trevor Project, 2018

Serious Mental Illness Among Adults Below the Poverty Line, SAMHSA, 2016

Childhood Poverty Linked with Worse Mental Health in Emerging Adulthood, Association for Psychological Science, 2013