PHOTO PROVIDED
NAMI North Central Pennsylvania representative Cathy Snyder is pictured with the Clinton County Board of Commissioners after it was proclaimed Mental Health Awareness Month in the county.
LOCK HAVEN — The Clinton County Commissioners are shining a light on what can be seen as a difficult topic, proclaiming May as Mental Health Awareness Month in the county.
The proclamation, read by Commissioner Jeff Snyder, touched on statistics related to mental illnesses. This information, provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) state that about 50 percent of all lifetime mental illnesses being by age 14 and 75 percent by age 24, with suicide remaining the second leading cause of death among individuals ages 10 to 24 in the United States.
“A lack of mental health awareness can have devastating impacts on the well-being of individuals and communities,” Snyder read from the proclamation.
The proclamation noted mental illness cannot be diagnosed as easily as with a blood test, pointing out the often unique set of symptoms which “often overlap between different conditions which makes exact diagnosis difficult.”
Meanwhile, treatment for mental illness is voluntary and takes time and persistence for results.
The proclamation also touched on the unique challenges rural communities face when accessing and managing mental healthcare.
“Rural Americans may travel twice as far to reach the nearest hospital or provider for treatment, may experience limited broadband access affecting virtual care and are more likely to live in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas where provider access is limited,” Snyder read.
The proclamation also noted the lack of mental health treatment incarcerated individuals will receive, noting it is about 3 in 5 who do so.
Following the approval of the proclamation, the commissioners heard from Cathy Snyder, a representative of NAMI North Central Pennsylvania.
Cathy thanked the board for the proclamation and continued support of the organization’s mission to provide advocacy, education, resources and peer support for those who are impacted by mental health.
“By removing the stigma, we remove the isolation for those who struggle and create a community of health awareness, acceptance and support. It opens the way for conversations to happen at home, the work place, our places of worship and in our community,” she said.
Cathy said NAMI is able to do all of this through a variety of ways, such as support groups, seasonal winter outreach, bringing in national speakers and more.
She further touched on the difficulties rural communities like Clinton County have with acknowledging mental health.
“There’s a mindset among us living in rural areas that we take pride in being strong, self reliant and independent. But that makes it harder for us to ask for help. Fear of judgement from others prevents us from reaching out. But we live in great communities,” she said.
She said NAMI is looking to change the stigma and to make it so these communities can treat mental illness like they have for individuals suffering physical health issues.
“When someone is ill and down and out we offer them meals, offer them a visit. We need to normalize that for mental health as well,” she said. “Each citizen should know that the power of caring and asking others how they are doing will open the door for getting help.”
“Stigma grows in silence, healing grows in communities,” she continued. “Many have loved ones who are struggling.”
She encouraged everyone to ask others if they need help and to continue NAMI’s efforts to help build a network of support in the region.
