Let’s Change The Term “Mental Health”

Point of clarification:

As a graduate-level trained counselor of 30 years who diagnosed my own severe depression and severe anxiety, I eagerly put myself in outpatient psychiatric care in 2012, the year I had to start on disability and retire, happily. As an advocate for those of us with brain health issues, the term “mental ILLNESS” makes me nauseous, because each of those words has a most negative connotation, as we attempt continuously to stamp out the bias and discrimination against yet another ostracized group. SO, clarification: I meant to say “mental illness”, not “mental health”. With that said, the word “mental” attached to any word will never be in my vocabulary. We have a brain condition, and we need treatment for it, just like someone has a heart condition and needs treatment for it. The brain is the only organ of the body that is not, typically, studied BEFORE it is treated. Echocardiograms, EKGs, stress tests represent common tests given BEFORE treating a heart condition. Most psychiatrists throw meds at us hoping one is going to stick after six weeks. The brain is another organ of the body that needs to be medically treated. PERIOD. And if you haven’t already, get genetically tested before you start any psych med. I was on four antidepressants simultaneously at one time and even that cocktail did not control the depression. Now I’m on one . . one . . that is doing a pretty darn good job all by itself, thankfully. And all it took was a cheek swab!!

@cynthiaalan
I have a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology. I would never try to self diagnose myself or any family member or friend. It would be subjective.

Knowing you need help is another thing. I like the term mental health. It means to me, and many others, to take care of your mental health just as you would your physical health.

Mental health is not mental illness. It is taking care of your mental health and does not mean you have mental illness. For some simply being overstressed at work and finding time off to relax is a form of mental health. For me it denotes taking care of yourself with the inference that taking care of your mental health is good for you just as taking care of your physical health. Neither denotes having a mental illness or physical medical disease.

Taking time for yourself, finding exercise or hobbies you like not only helps your physical health but your mental health as well. You don't have to have a physical disease to take care of yourself. You don't have to have a mental illness or diganogses of psychiatric condition to take care of your mental health and welll being. Enjoying friends or activities, reading, what ever your enjoy is a from taking care of your mental health.

My wife was genetically tested and cannot take some of the same medications I do.

I will not rebut any comments on this platform.

@cynthiaalan and @jc76, thank you for the interesting and respectful debate regarding terminology. There are many terms in medicine and health care that care stigma and/or different connotations for different people. Consensus can be challenging to acheive since our personal experiences can also influence our association with title, terms and labels.

Here are a few articles outlining the related but distinct concepts of mental illness vs mental health.
- Understanding the Difference Between Mental Health and Mental Illness https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/mental-health-vs-mental-illness

Mayo Clinic states "Mental illness may also be called mental health disorders" https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968

@cynthiaalan, I like the destigmatization of using a term like "brain health," although that could be understood to encompass all neurologic conditions, including mental health disorders.

Terms change over time. When working with health care professionals, have you ever asked them (kindly) to use different terminology?

Helpful.
Colleen I think (at least me and my friends and family) see a distinct difference in mental health and brain health. The brain is a organ that can get physical diseases, cancer, strokes, and treating that is a medical treatment totally different from mental health which is psychological area.

We all have personal and professional experience that affects how we see things. MCC was and is there for posters to post their personal experiences and be an inspirations to others. I feel promoting mental health the same as physical health are the same in terms of importance and a person can do for themselves out side of medical profession.

I don't like to use psychological word. It has in my opinion and others who talk to me it starts with Psycho and that is what bothers people when it is mentioned. This is my expereience with others not a professional opinion or medical opinon just every day life.

Mental health does not mean you have a psychological issue it it taking care of yourself mentally. That can be as simple as taking time off, finding ways to reduce stress, exercise, hobbies, taking time to be with friends, family, and thus a more take care of yourself both mentally and physically.

I have got a diagnosis of PTSD that evolved into anxiety/panic disorder. It was caused by a combination of my time in Vietnam, a deadly force incident as a police officer, and then getting shocked 5 times by my ICD/Pacemaker. I did not know what was wrong but had no issue with reaching out to both my medical doctors and psychiatric division of Mayo. My medical doctors referred me to Mayo Psychiatric Division.

During those visits I was given many tests and several consultations. From all of that was the diagnosis of PTSD/Anxiety/Panic Disorder and it was treated both by consultations and medications. My wife has a brain condition not a metal health condition. She has a cyst on her brain,. Diabetes affected the nerve going from eye to brain. That needs surgery. Those are medicail issue of the brain not mental health.

One of the aspects of mental health is finding what brings joy or comfort to you and focus on that not negatives. That is what my experience with my journey with this has been. You will see this focus in my posts not just on this forum but Prostate Cancer, heart failure where posters are under severe stress and anxiety. I give my personal experience in what helped me and hoping it provides inspiratins to others.

Eating right also affects your mental health as much as physical health. Exercise is another item I found helps me with my mental heath. I have received many many messages from those that I rcommened water aerobics as fun and enjoyable exercise to help reduce stress and anxiety. All these are everyday things you can do to promote mental health and physical health. The are interconnected and affect each other.

Bottom line for me is take care of your physical health and mental health and there are many many ways to do that in every day life. I hope anyone reading these posts get a feedback that there is no stigma to mental health and doing things to help you in daily life to help both our mental health and physical health. And if you think you need help there is no negative connotation to seeking help from a psychologist or psychiatrist and it is a positive that you want to take care of yourself both mentally and physically.

I understand your point about "mental" sounding negative and contributing to stigma. But the problem is, mental health is a broader term than brain health.

Brain health refers to a physiological state of the brain itself, its structure, function, and neurological processes. We still don't fully understand whether feelings, our consciousness, or how we connect with others are solely products of the brain as an organ. Science still has so much to learn about what "mental" actually means.

There is a big risk of losing a complex picture if we change the term. Maybe it is better to try to change how people perceive mental health by spreading awareness, instead of just calling it the other way.

I really think the stigma surrounding depression is starting to go away. A lot of has had to with people in the public eye being willing to discuss their struggles with it.
Many professional athletes along with actors and actresses have been open about their struggles with depression or anxiety.
Depression is a disease just like diabetes and it has a strong genetic component. You never really get over it but with the help of doctors and psychiatrists you learn to manage it.
There is a lot of trial and error involved but with the advent of SSRI’s it has become easier. The previous family of antidepressants had terrible side effects but SSRI’s greatest side effect is sexual dysfunction. Also many times you have to find your sweet spot which could involve adding several other drugs to help your SSRI work. Wellbutrin is one drug that for some can be a standalone drug for treating depression but it also pairs well with Zoloft at least for me. My psychiatrist added Buspar and Klonopin as well and I have found the combination very effective.
As far as dealing with the stubborn sexual side effects I starting taking 5mg of daily Cialis and it has been a miracle drug for me. Unlike Viagra which only last two to three hours Cialis lasts for 24 hours and because you take it daily it is always in your system.
Like diabetes you are never really cured but you find the medication or medications that works for you and you listen to your body.
A healthy diet and regular exercise helps.
Good luck to everyone.

This is a difficult situation to say about mental health issues. I believe we have full bodies and different health problems. There is not one topping for a category of health. It is whatever it is called to be. So, may we have an all over body health issue? As would include the brain, body, and mind issues.