LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — We are launching a new series on THV11. "Mind Matters" will focus on mental health stories and advice from experts.
Let’s start with the basics: What is mental illness?
The CDC estimates about one in five people struggle with mental illness each year.
“It's very common,” said Dr. Buster Lackey, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Arkansas.
NAMI Arkansas is a statewide mental health agency providing resources referrals and education for people suffering from mental illness and their families.
“It's one of those taboo topics,” Lackey said. “We don't talk about it – out of sight out of mind – but we've got to break the stigma. We have to start talking about it.
If we don't start talking about it, all we're doing is just pushing it down under the rug. We're hiding it, and it's not doing anybody any good.”
Addressing mental illness in our families and communities starts with understanding what it is.
“Mental illness is the health condition that affects the psychological and behavior of our everyday life,” Lackey said.
It can take many forms: phobias, depression, and anxiety to more severe conditions like schizophrenia and personality disorders.
“Every diagnosis has a different set of symptoms,” Lackey said.
Lackey said someone who thinks they're experiencing symptoms of mental illness should ask for help because diagnosis leads to treatment
“Mental illness is no different than having a kidney problem or heart problem or breathing problem,” he said. “You just have to get it treated and get help for it and figure out how to manage the symptoms and live your life.”
NAMI Arkansas offers a number of resources for people who are struggling with their mental health. Click here to visit the organization’s website.