Mental Health—When to Consider Seeing a Professional
Posted on March 28, 2022
Is a problem in your life dragging you down? Is it making it hard to function, feel in control or be happy? Emotional troubles like this are more common than you suspect—by some estimates, in any given year, 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. struggles with a mental health problem like depression, severe anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder.
If you are struggling, a mental health professional can help you feel like yourself again. Using talk therapy and possibly medication, this professional can help you:
• Come up with plans for solving problems
• Change behaviors that hold you back
• Feel stronger when facing challenges
• Examine how the way you think may negatively affect your emotions
• Heal pain from your past
The encouraging news: Most people who seek help get better. For example, more than 80% of people treated for depression improve.
There are many different types of mental health professionals. Your primary care provider can advise you on which type of professional is the best match for you. You can turn to a psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, pastoral counselor or another mental health professional.
Seeking help is never a sign of weakness. It takes strength to admit things need to change and to learn new coping skills and grow.
Health New England can help: As a Health New England member, you have Behavioral Health coverage, which includes mental health and substance use disorder. If you need to find a Behavioral Health provider, please visit our website at healthnewengland.org/medicare/Home/Find-Provider or call our Member Services team toll-free at (877) 443-3314 (TTY: 711) for assistance.
Sources: American Psychological Association; Mental Health America (via Coffey Communications)
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