Mental Health Care

What Is Mental Health?

Mental health includes the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of a person. The quality of mental health a person has can affect how they think, feel, and act.

In contrast, physical health is the well-being of the body and includes ways to improve bodily functioning by having proper nutrition, sleep, reduced alcohol and drug use, and adequate physical activity. 

There is a connection between mental and physical health. For example, when a person is living with anxiety, they may experience headaches, stomachaches, and have trouble sleeping. By learning and applying healthy coping strategies to better manage anxiety, the person may gain improvements in their physical functioning.

Why Does Mental Health Matter?

According to the National Library of Medicine, good mental health helps a person to cope with life stressors, maintain physical health, develop and nurture healthy social relationships, contribute in meaningful ways to their community, and stay productive at work, home, and school. With positive mental health, a person is more likely to reach their full potential. 

In rural areas such as rural Sumter County, South Carolina, one barrier to receiving mental health treatment is a lack of mental health providers. Sumter Behavioral Health Services is proud to bridge this gap by serving as a mental health care provider to those living in rural areas.

The Mind-Body Connection 

Johns Hopkins Medicine defines the mind-body connection as the belief that the causes, development, and outcomes of physical illnesses are influenced by the interaction of psychological, social, and biological factors. 

The body responds to stress and to anxiety or depression. For example, when under stress, a person may develop high blood pressure, a stomach ulcer, back pain, constipation or diarrhea, fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath, and have trouble falling or staying asleep.

Common Mental Health Disorders 

The “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5)” was published in 2013 by the American Psychiatric Association to provide a framework for evaluating and categorizing all mental health and substance use disorders. 

Using the DSM-5 as a resource, we will discuss common mental health disorders such as depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and trauma- and stressor-related disorders.

Depressive Disorders 

Depressive disorders encompass a variety of disorders, including major depressive disorder and a more chronic form of depression, persistent depressive disorder. 

The common features of all the depressive disorders are the presence of a sad, empty, or irritable mood, as well as somatic (bodily) and cognitive (thinking) changes that significantly impact a person’s ability to function. 

Warning Signs of Depression

Warning signs that you or your loved one may be struggling with depression include: 

• Feeling sad, empty, or hopeless
• Irritable mood 
• Tearfulness 
• Poor appetite or overeating
• Trouble with sleeping
• Low energy
• Low self-esteem 
• Poor concentration 
• Thoughts of death or dying

Anxiety Disorders

The key features of anxiety disorders include excessive fear and anxiety that interfere with daily life functioning. Fear is defined as the emotional response to a real or perceived immediate threat. Anxiety is the anticipation of future threats. 

The mental health disorders categorized as anxiety disorders include, but are not limited to: separation anxiety (excessive fear or anxiety concerning separation from home or attachment figures), specific phobia (fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation), panic disorder (ongoing unexpected panic attacks), and generalized anxiety disorder (excessive anxiety and worry). 

Warning Signs of Anxiety 

Warning signs that you or your loved one may be struggling with anxiety include: 

• Excessive anxiety and worry 
  • The anxiety and worry is out of proportion to the actual likelihood or impact of the anticipated event. 
• Restlessness 
• Easily tired 
• Difficulty concentrating 
• Irritable 
• Muscle tension 
• Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep or restless, unsatisfying sleep) 

Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders 

Trauma- and stressor-related disorders include mental health disorders in which a person is exposed to a traumatic or stressful event. Trauma- and stressor-related disorders include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress disorder, adjustment disorders, and more. The psychological distress following exposure to a traumatic or stressful event can vary a lot. 

Warning Signs of PTSD  

Warning signs that you or your loved one may be struggling with PTSD include: 

• Distressing memories of traumatic event(s)
• Flashbacks of traumatic event(s)
• Efforts to avoid external reminders (people, places, conversations, activities, objects, situations) that cause distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings associated with traumatic event(s) 
• Problems with concentration
• Trouble sleeping

Mental Health Care for Rural Residents 

According to the National Rural Health Association, the common challenges rural residents face include the availability, accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of mental health services. 

Availability is the shortage of mental health providers that exist in rural areas. Accessibility refers to the knowledge of when and where to obtain services. Affordability involves the costs associated with receiving care and availability of benefits/insurance to offer services. Acceptability is the negative perception and stigma attached to the need for mental health services.

Mental Health in South Carolina 

According to a fact sheet developed by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), as of February 2021, 37.6% of adults in South Carolina reported symptoms of anxiety or depression; among these adults living in South Carolina, 23.3% were unable to access counseling or therapy. 

Also, based on February 2021 data, there were 706,000 adults in South Carolina living with a mental health condition; this number represents more than five times the population of Charleston. There were also more than 2.3 million people in South Carolina living in a community that was lacking in mental health professionals.

According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, from 2017 to 2019, the yearly average prevalence of past-year mental health service use among those with any mental illness in South Carolina was 45.8% (or 332,000 people), which was similar to both the regional average (42%) and the national average (43.6%).

Mental Health Treatment at Sumter Behavioral Health Services 

Sumter Behavioral Health Services offers individual, group, and family therapy to address both mental health and substance use concerns that clients may be facing.  We also offer case management and life skills training to ensure clients feel supported and well aware of the local resources available to them.