Mental Health: Fighting Stigma Is Not Enough
When we talk about mental health, we often suggest that people seek help when they are experiencing signs of depression or if their anxiety is disrupting their lives. We say that therapy is cool, and that there’s no shame in seeing a psychiatrist. What we too often fail to mention or see (perhaps because we’re privileged?) is how much this kind of help costs.
When I first started looking for a psychiatrist (which wasn’t an easy action to take, by the way!), I was shocked to learn that a big chunk of them do not accept insurance (so I’d have to pay around $250/session out of pocket). And if you are lucky enough to find one that takes insurance, very often you will have to wait 2 months to get an appointment. Just a side note here: when talking about mental health, 2 months can make a big difference in someone’s life (or decision to end it).
Luckily I found help that accepted insurance and the copay wouldn’t hurt that much. And although it wasn’t the best help to be honest, still, it was the help I needed at that moment and I’m grateful I got it. But it made me realize why mental health in the United States is in such a crisis: it’s not only the stigma and accepting help, it’s paying for it, too.
According to the CDC, 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year, and 1 in 25 Americans lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. In 2018, suicide was 10th leading cause of death in all ages, but 2nd (yes, SECOND) in age groups 10-34. This is a public health issue that I believe is being addressed poorly, and these numbers reflect just that.
Telling people that it is ok to seek help is not enough. The Affordable Care Act improved access to mental health care, but there is still work to be done. Many patients can’t afford the copay for therapy sessions or medications, for example, and they end up quitting treatment. Although I could afford 100 bucks out of my pocket to pay for my Zoloft + Abilify + monthly Psych session, a lot of people don’t have the “luxury” of adding this amount to their budget. They are already struggling to keep up with food, rent and gas, all while many times, also battling to get out of bed. Not to mention we still have over 30 million people who don’t have health insurance at all in this country (which is a whole issue of its own).
So no. Fighting mental health stigma is necessary, but it isn’t enough. And we (me included) need to be more mindful when telling someone to seek help. Health insurance plans work differently, your copay amount is not the same as mine, and again, a lot of people don’t have access to insurance at all. Because universal healthcare access is still a utopia, what we need to do if we really want to help this crisis is to pressure our lawmakers to make mental health care even more accessible and build policies that promote preventive measures.
And if you or someone you know need help finding or paying for mental health care:
Low Cost Treatment: resources that offer assistance in paying for treatment.
If you’re concerned about insurance coverage, here’s an article that might help.
Other resources:
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor 24/7
Trevor Project: 24/7 LGBTQ+ crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline at 1-866-488-7386
Trans Lifeline: peer support hotline run by and for trans people at 877-565-8860
To Write Love on Her Arms: to find local resources in your area