Why and How You Should Address Your Mental Health

Sometimes it’s important to look beyond your physical health for overall well-being.

In a given year, approximately one in five adults in the U.S. will experience symptoms of a mental illness, such as anxiety or depression. However, nearly 60 percent of this population does not seek treatment.

“People tend to ignore or put off issues related to their mental health,” says Christina Sapien, LCSW, Director of Behavioral Health at Carson Tahoe Health. “However, this can lead to further problems down the line. Often, people present to their primary care providers with physical symptoms, such as muscle tension, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, and digestion issues, that are actually the result of an underlying mental health condition.”

If you experience symptoms of mental illness, such as intense mood swings, extreme or extended feelings of sadness, irritability, or anger, or changes to your appetite, sleep habits, or desire to socialize, Sapien recommends seeking the help of a mental health professional as soon as possible. In addition to helping provide relief, early treatment may help prevent conditions from worsening and decrease your overall healthcare costs long term.

What About Burnout?

Burnout—the growing sense of emotional and physical exhaustion caused by long hours, tight deadlines, unrewarded efforts, and other workplace stressors—is now officially recognized by the World Health Organization as a mental illness.

While it differs from depression, burnout can cause many of the same symptoms, including fatigue, decreased interest in activities, an increased risk of substance abuse, and feelings of helplessness.

Grant Clowers, LCSW, Clinical Supervisor at Carson Tahoe, advises individuals suffering from burnout to reach out for help.

“If you feel like life is overwhelming or that you are stretched too thin, therapy can help,” Clowers says. “Therapy is not about giving up. It is about building new tools and perspectives that allow you to get back in the driver’s seat of your life.”

Mental Health Resources at Carson Tahoe

A wide variety of comprehensive inpatient and outpatient mental health services are available through Carson Tahoe Health’s Behavioral Health services.

Carson Tahoe offers:

• A crisis hotline to call in the event that you or a loved one experiences a mental health emergency
• First Episode Psychosis and Assertive Community Treatment—Early intervention programs designed to provide patients with comprehensive treatments and support services at little to no cost
• Individual, family, and group therapy
• Medical detoxification
• Mental health evaluations and diagnoses
• Support groups
• The Mallory Behavioral Health Crisis Center, a 10-bed outpatient unit open 24/7
• Treatment for substance abuse

If you feel like you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need help, call the toll-free behavioral services hotline at (800) 283-7671. To reach the Mallory Behavioral Health Crisis Center, call (775) 445-8889.