Mental Health Matters
MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH UPDATE
This week I’ll present the MCBRIDE MENTAL HEALTH PRIMER. I’ll review the common mental health issues I see every day in my office—both during and prior to COVID-19—and how they matter in medicine.
As you probably know, my passion is the intersection between mental and physical health. To me, caring for people means considering the whole patient, integrating each organ system, and treating patients’ mental and physical health in tandem.
Addressing mental health is not just about helping people feel better; it’s about improving medical outcomes. (It also happens to be the most gratifying part of my job.)
After all, all organ systems talk to one another. Our heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver, for example, have relationships. Our brain is another organ, so it only makes sense to understand its role in our whole health. Moreover our brain is where things like stress, grief, loss, and trauma are processed. It is also the birthplace of thoughts and feelings. These outputs direct our day-to-day behaviors. And since our behaviors affect health, caring for our brain function matters. We just don’t always talk about it.
But we need to.
So why am I this interested in mental health? First because it feels to me a moral obligation. There is far too much suffering from undiagnosed and untreated mental illness. The burdens on individuals, society, and our economy from mental illness are vast. And who else is going to help right that wrong if not physicians in primary care? We are usually the first stop for patients seeking health advice. So I am using this platform as a way to hopefully reach a wider audience about the relevance of mental health in overall health outcomes.
It’s my duty but also my privilege to help patients one at a time. And I’ve always dreamt of broadening my reach with the simple message that MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS.
The pandemic has given me the chance—the “permission” if you will—to do just that. So for me, the past three months, while incredibly challenging, scary, and humbling, have also been wonderfully gratifying and meaningful. Reaching people with guidance on medical and mental health gives me a sense of purpose, peace, and calm. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to you, my readers. Thank you for being here with me.
Why else do I preach the gospel of addressing mental and physical health together? Because I, like so many, have intermittently struggled with my own mental health. I have had plenty of ups and downs in my 47 ¾ years. I have suffered from my own denial and erroneous thinking that I can fix certain parts of myself on my own. I have endured a chorus of self-flagellating inner voices telling me that if I only worked harder or ignored unpleasant feelings that I would get through pain and suffering. And I was wrong many times over.
It’s only when I have faced uncomfortable truths about myself, leaned into my own vulnerabilities, and have asked for help that I’ve been able to gain self-awareness, self-compassion, and tools for coping. I’m happier and healthier than ever, though (like everyone) I am a work in progress.
The positive and warm responses to my post yesterday have been deeply humbling and meaningful to me. It’s clear that my readers appreciate seeing my human side. And further proof that relationships are built on honesty and shared vulnerability. Thank you for your kindness, trust, and readership.
I am just getting started.
Tomorrow (assuming the world doesn’t explode into a blob of green goo) we will talk about a familiar friend: ANXIETY. Then Wednesday we’ll chat about its cousin, DEPRESSION. And Thursday we’ll visit the step-sister, SUBSTANCE ABUSE. And so on.
This is my lane, and I hope you’ll join me for the ride.
P.S. Reminder! Join me and my friend and OBGYN Amanda Williams, MD, TOMORROW to talk about women’s health, the pandemic, and its disproportionate effect on people of color. We will convene on Facebook LIVE on Tuesday June 9 at 2 pm ET!