UCS Chief Medical Officer Alya Reeve, MD, MPH weighs in on Mental Health Awareness Month

May is globally recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month— a time to check in with others, commit to self-care, and recognize that mental health is as important as physical health. United Counseling Service Chief Medical Officer Alya Reeve, MD, MPH, discusses some mental health trends she sees in Bennington County and what we can do to boost our own mental health.

One of the most significant changes seen in mental health is the Covid-19 pandemic’s effect on young people, from kids and teenagers and up to young adults. Children and teens continue to struggle with change and transitions in school post-pandemic and experience challenges related to academic performance and handling expected stresses. “We see children presenting with more idiosyncratic needs, severe intrusive anxiety, more impaired attention, and less tolerance for things that don’t match what they need,” says Reeve. “There is a lot of anxiety, a moderate increase in depression, and a persistent and significant elevation in anxiety in youth and young adults into their twenties and early thirties.”

Youth and young people aren’t the only ones struggling. Mental health workers supporting those seeking help currently experience heavy burnout due to the wave of need that doesn’t seem to end. Reeve says the intensity of symptoms make existing mental health services harder to deliver, and that takes its toll. “There are so many different people trying to address and support the children and teenagers in this town,” says Reeve. “All of those services and people are feeling stretched, and I’m not entirely sure it’s simply financial.” There are simply more people seeking help for more intense challenges, and that is felt by those on the front lines of mental health care.

A strong community for strong mental health

Such a challenge requires creative collaboration, and that is where Bennington County excels. Local organizations work together to address the needs of young people, veterans, elders, and teenagers—in schools, community centers, and churches—anywhere people gather. These are important efforts, as a sense of community is one of the best ways to improve mental health. “There are a number of studies that show if people have good friends, they live longer and enjoy their life more,” says Reeve. Family is important, whether that means a family of origin or a chosen family. Someone to provide support simply by being there makes a big difference for someone in the middle of a mental health challenge or crisis. One of the best things we can do for our mental health is to surround ourselves with people who understand us and see us for who we are. Reeve says, “That’s as important as doing all the other preventative things. Having meaningful, reciprocal relationships where you are seen for who you are, not being told who you are.”

Caring for ourselves and embracing diversity

 Along with creating a community of mutually supportive relationships, personal preventative measures are equally important to building and maintaining our mental health. Eating nutritious foods, sleeping well and enough, and keeping track of our energy levels all make a difference in our journey to good mental health, as well as our physical health. Modern society tends to encourage us to push through without taking care of ourselves, so the temptation is always there to ignore our own needs to take care of others. Helping others is important and so is helping ourselves. “This is engrained into our culture,” says Reeve. “It’s something that needs to be flexible—not fixed in one extreme or another.”

Reeve says a shift in the way we think about the differences between people would make for a safer and more welcoming society for all. She explains that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) focuses primarily on physical health, but there is no ADA for mental illness. One big step would be to create environments that are safe to talk about feelings, cry or be sad without being labeled as weak or incompetent. Without a safe environment for every kind of mind and body, people are excluded.

“Society as a whole is weaker by having a tendency to push people who are different in any way to the margins,” says Reeve. “We need to embrace more of the diversity in society, the breadth of intelligence and humor, and emotional bandwidth, across all parts of our society. That’s the only way for us to move forward.”