Different groups of people talk about mental struggles and barriers to treatment
Some groups are at increased risk for mental health problems and face more barriers than others in receiving treatment.
September is Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month, and individuals share the barriers they face in treating mental health.
Although mental health has become less stigmatized over the years, there are still significant challenges for many accessing care.
Aarushi Dervish, a neuroscience student at the University of Iowa, was diagnosed with ADHD, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder. She said her mental illnesses impacted her schoolwork.
“Even in high school, I had to be taken out of class because the teachers were concerned about my results,” Dervish said. “Obviously we’re in college now. This is not what the teachers are going to do. I feel like I have to do it for myself sometimes.
Dervech said she had to postpone exams and homework. She claimed that a teacher once even withdrew points for an assignment she missed because she needed a second overtime due to the flu, which she said made her anxiety worse. .
“It’s a lot harder to balance the things people expect of you to be a good student, especially if you are applying for graduate school,” Dervish said. “It’s really frustrating because things take you a lot longer.”
Dervish said she was seeing a psychiatrist at UI Student Health and received accommodations defined by Student Disability Services. She said she had tried using college counseling before, but they were booked for the day and told her to come back the next day.
Barry Schreier, director of UCS, said the counseling center had a long waiting list due to understaffing. He said one hurdle college students face in treating mental health is finding time in their busy schedules to go to therapy.
“People who don’t need [mental health treatment] I can’t understand what kind of time commitment this is, ”Dervish said. “This, I think, becomes a hindrance because people assume that we have a lot more time in our day than we actually have.
UCS offers limited one-on-one counseling sessions. Outside of college, therapy can be particularly expensive, especially for those with more than one diagnosis, which can increase costs. According to a 2010 study, people with co-morbidities – with two diagnoses at once, such as ADHD and anxiety – have increased health costs.
Lack of representation an obstacle
A lack of representation can also be a barrier because people do not see themselves represented. Schreier said students of color and members of the LGBTQ + community might feel that way about UCS staff.
Stigma and stereotypes can also affect the way people seek mental health care. Venice Berry, professor at IU’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, plans to call for nominations for an anthology book that will focus on the impact of the ‘Strong Black Superwoman’ stereotype on health mental health of black women.
“Not only is this stereotype problematic in the sense that people perceive black people, but unfortunately black women tend to try to expect it,” Berry said.
The “Strong Black Superwoman” stereotype is sometimes characterized by suppressing emotions, a sense of an obligation to help others, resistance to vulnerability or addiction, and a determination to succeed despite limited resources, according to one. 2010 study.
Berry said research shows black women tend to struggle with anxiety and depression more. In a US Department of Health and Human Services study, black girls in grades 9 to 12 were 60% more likely to attempt suicide than non-Hispanic white girls of the same age.
“[Black women] tend to take care of everyone except themselves, ”Berry said.
Berry said one barrier women face in treating mental health is reluctance to seek help.
“There’s this notion that you don’t give in to mental issues, that you ignore them,” Berry said. “You don’t want anyone to think you’re crazy. “
LGBTQ + youth also struggle to access mental health resources. Age restrictions, the inability to pay for treatment, and lack of transportation to get to treatment are reasons many young people receive mental health services from providers, says the Center for American Progress. primary rather than secondary mental health service providers.
Often, LGBTQ + youth tend to receive treatment from a primary care provider rather than a mental health professional because they fear that a new professional will not support their identity.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, LGBTQ + youth attempt suicide three times faster than their peers, and they are five times more likely to kill themselves.
However, a favorable environment can reduce these chances. In a 2011 study of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth, they were significantly less likely to attempt suicide when they were in an environment that supported and respected their identity.
While there are barriers to mental health care, a few places on campus outside of UCS also offer resources for marginalized groups, including The Afro House, which is available to students of color, and LGBTQ + students can visit the Pride Alliance Center, Pride House, or the LGBTQ + clinic within the hospital and IU clinics.
Men often overlooked
One study found that aspects of masculinity, such as independence, were associated with poor mental health and suicidal thoughts.
Men are more likely to view seeking help as undermining societal expectations of being strong and self-reliant. Men may also be less likely to seek help as their mental state worsens.
The suicide rate is highest among middle-aged white men. In 2019, white males accounted for 69.38% of suicide deaths. A 2018 report from the World Health Organization found that in high-income countries, three times as many men kill themselves as women.
The American Foundation of Suicide Prevention found that men were 3.56 times more likely than women to kill themselves. Mental Health America has found that more than 6 million men in the United States show symptoms of depression each year, and more than 3 million suffer from an anxiety disorder.
