In our increasingly connected world, isolation and loneliness are becoming more and more common. But, they’re especially prevalent struggles for those living with mental illness, and they can have particularly devastating consequences: Both mental health challenges and lack of connection to others increase a person’s risk of suicide. Continue reading
Category Archives: Facts
Intertwined in Texas: Mental Illness and Poverty in the Lone Star State
It’s hard to overstate the weight of poverty in the lives of those dealing with mental illnesses. Poverty can both increase the likelihood that a person will suffer from mental health challenges and make it more difficult for those already living with these struggles to pursue recovery.
Many intertwining factors related to poverty create a tangled cycle for those living with mental health conditions. For example, a serious mental illness can make it difficult for a person to hold down a job. As a result of being out of work, they may be unable to afford healthy food or a bus pass to get to a doctor’s appointment, adding extra hurdles in managing their illness. They may lose their housing, further eroding their ability to pursue stability. And, as they lack the resources necessary to take steps to improve their mental health, they remain unable to work and their condition may become an even greater struggle. Continue reading
Overpowering Stigma With Community
For those who live with serious mental health conditions, stigma is constant companion. It follows them like a shadow they can’t escape, defining them by their illnesses in the minds of others and coloring the way they are seen in their communities with misconceptions. It causes them to be avoided or ignored at best, and often leads to discrimination and mistreatment. Continue reading
Seven Things Families Can Do to Support a Loved One Living With Mental Illness
It’s hard to overstate the impact that caring family members can have in the lives of individuals dealing with serious mental illnesses. Those living with mental health challenges may engage with their families far more than their mental health care providers, and everyday interactions with parents, children, spouses, siblings and other relatives play a pivotal role in helping them pursue recovery. Below are seven things family caregivers can do to support a loved one in their struggle with mental illness. Continue reading
Four Ways Churches Can Help Prevent Suicide
Suicide is an issue the church cannot afford to ignore. In a LifeWay Research study nearly a third of churchgoers said they’d lost a close family member or acquaintance to suicide. Of those, over a third said their loved one attended a church at least once a month prior to his or her death.
Those wrestling with suicidal thoughts and those who love them are in the pews of our congregations. Churches have a great responsibility and opportunity to reach out in compassion to those who are struggling. Continue reading
Four Things to Know about Mental Health Parity
Almost half of the 60 million people living with mental health conditions in the United States go without any treatment according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). While many factors prevent those suffering from mental health challenges from seeking care, disparities in access to quality, affordable care play a major role. Continue reading
Five Things That May Surprise You About Mental Health Care in Texas
Approximately a million adults in Texas live with serious mental illness, and many of them face numerous obstacles in obtaining the treatment and support they need to manage their conditions. In a 2017 report, the Texas House Select Committee on Mental Health wrote that mental health “is absolutely one of the most critical areas of concern” facing our state. Below are some key points to understand about mental health in Texas, including some major challenges and one big reason to be hopeful. Continue reading
Five Ways Family Caregivers Go Above and Beyond
Those who serve as caregivers for family members dealing with mental illness often go above and beyond. A study published by the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) found that on average, they give more of themselves and their resources than caregivers as a whole nationwide. We celebrate all that these family caregivers sacrifice to help their loved ones pursue recovery. Continue reading
How Faith Undergirds Good Mental Health
Faith can provide multifaceted benefits for those who live with the daily struggles of mental illness. In the midst of these challenges, cultivating spiritual health can lead to better mental health. Continue reading
Four Barriers to Minority Mental Health
Mental illnesses impact people of all ethnicities and backgrounds. While treatment can make these conditions more manageable, many minority populations face challenges that make it more difficult for them to get the care they need. When left untreated, mental health issues can become more severe and can make life with them increasingly difficult to navigate. Continue reading