First things first: it’s really nice to be writing again and connecting with you. I believe life is just better when we’re trying to help each other. It’s hard, you know? Things happen to everyone, sometimes. It’s not always clear why or how, but we have to make sense of it all. Feeling like you’re part of a community that wants to pick up those pieces with you, by relating and validating, trusting, and authentically offering of self, is, I believe, one of the best things we do as humans. When people truly care about each other, amazing things can happen.
So, judging from the title of this series, you may be wondering, what’s this all about? What good news could we possibly be talking about when it comes to mental health? Don’t get me wrong, as a social worker in the hospital system for years, having learned from some of the greats at seminars, there is no doubt, understanding concerning data is super important. Often, it is the keystone driver behind change itself. Across the strata, from funding to public perception, we must understand what the issues are, where they are, and how they are, in order to do anything at all to address community issues. That should never change. But here’s the thing: it’s overwhelming sometimes. It can feel like stones on the chest and a storm cloud that seeks to take over. For someone who has accepted the challenge of meeting those needs on the frontline, as a keeper of secrets and experiences which I hold in great respect and admiration, it’s important to know that people believe in them, and that all that data adds up to something.
This is why I decided to start a series called “What’s the Good News?” It’s not designed to be some cognitively dissonant jelly piece. I’ve worked in the inner city with some of the most challenging substance use disorder and mental health challenges possible. Having said that, I would like to explore with you some of the things that may bring warmth to your heart, a smile to your face, or elicit some sort of internal dialogue that excites, inspires, or drives a continuous upward flow of allegiance towards goodness and dignity. As we consider the true meanings of community and being kind to each other, let us start with what I believe is a great beginning. Here we go:
Have you ever wondered if Americans actually believe people can recover from mental health challenges? As it turns out, in 2019 the American Psychological Association published the results of The Harris Poll and found that 86% of Americans believe that people who struggle with mental health challenges can get better. Almost 9 out of 10! We often talk about bias and stigma, right? For those of us of a certain age, we may think of Carol O’Connor’s intentionally stirring character Archie Bunker. But as it turns out, we’re not Archie Bunker in this regard. We actually believe mental health fundamental change is possible. We believe that if there is somehow, some way, that someone can get to meaningful treatment, things can improve. This is hope in the raw—a material for us to hold precious and dear as we look towards real changes for people who are struggling.
What are your thoughts? Please feel free to write back to me and let me know what comes up for you? I promise to dig a little deeper next time, but I didn’t want to go on and on, since this was the first in the series, and I needed to introduce the concept. Also, include if it’s okay to share your comment or not. For now, take care of yourself.
The survey of 1,006 U.S. adults was conducted by The Harris Poll between Nov. 20-29, 2018. Respondents took a 15-minute online survey about their attitudes toward mental health disorders and mental health treatment. The results were weighted by education, age, gender, race, ethnicity, geography, household income, household size, and marital status to represent the U.S. population.
