Assemblyman Stirpe: Time to End Stigma Surrounding Mental Health

When we talk about staying healthy, the focus is most often on our physical health – eating right, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep. While this is always important, mental health deserves just as much attention. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and there’s no better time to let everyone out there who’s living with mental illness know that they’re not alone and help is available.

One in five Americans is living with a mental health condition.[1] Despite the fact that these illnesses affect individuals across all sectors of society regardless of age, race, sex and religion, talking about mental health is still stigmatized.

According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, anxiety and depression are on the rise among youth in the United States as 7 in 10 teens ages 13 to 17 see these conditions as major problems among peers.[2] These concerns hold true across varying demographic backgrounds. The stressors teens face are also wide-ranging, from doing well academically to fitting in socially to thinking about their post-graduation plans.[3]

It’s crucial that students know it’s alright to talk about their mental health, as ignoring or bottling up these feelings can cause even more problems down the road. Training, education, support and advocacy are important ways to help youth understand that what they’re feeling is normal. That’s why my Assembly colleagues and I included measures to increase mental health awareness and support for students in this year’s state budget. The budget restores $500,000 for mental health services and telecounseling in the State University of New York system and provides $1.5 million for junior high mental health grants.

The stigma surrounding mental illness is also particularly harmful to new and expecting mothers. About 1 in 5 women experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), which includes postpartum depression, psychosis, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions women may face during or after pregnancy.[4] And because of the dangerous stigma surrounding mental health, up to 50% of women do not seek treatment, which in severe cases can lead to suicide or self-harming behavior.[5]

To help these women, Crouse Hospital will soon launch a new clinic in Central New York to better address PMADs. The clinic began as a support group four years ago for women with PMADs and has helped approximately 500 families from every corner of our region. The clinic will provide services such as psychiatric evaluations, medication management and counseling, as well as massages, yoga, acupuncture and referrals.[6] Services will be offered to all mothers regardless of where they gave birth. The new facility will be located in Suite 340 of the CNY Medical Center, 739 Irving Ave., Syracuse.

Students and mothers are just two of the many demographics that live with mental health conditions. Anyone, from children to the elderly to military personnel and their families, can be impacted, and speaking out is the first step to getting the proper support and treatment. The New York State Office of Mental Health is an excellent resource for anyone looking for help. To find programs locally, go to https://my.omh.ny.gov/bi/pd/saw.dll?PortalPages.

And as always, my door is open to you. If you have any questions about this or any other issue affecting our communities, please reach out to my office at 315-452-1115 or StirpeA@nyassembly.gov.

[1] nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-By-the-Numbers

[2] pewsocialtrends.org/2019/02/20/most-u-s-teens-see-anxiety-and-depression-as-a-major-problem-among-their-peers

[3] Ibid.

[4] syracuse.com/health/2019/05/syracuse-gets-1st-clinic-to-treat-new-moms-potentially-deadly-mental-illness.html

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.