Mental Health U
Mental Health U is a podcast dedicated to demystifying and destigmatizing mental health issues. If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, or some other mental health issue, then this podcast is for you.
Mental Health U
Unraveling the Threads of Mental Health Stigma with Courtney Rice
Have you ever considered how the words we choose can reinforce the very stigmas we're trying to dismantle? Courtney Rice from NAMI Wood County joins us to unravel the complex tapestry of mental health stigma, sharing her wealth of experience that illuminates the damaging effects of misused labels and the power of empathy. Against the backdrop of her own personal and professional encounters, Courtney offers profound insight into how we can shift our language and attitudes to create a more supportive environment for those grappling with mental health challenges.
Mental health stigma erects formidable barriers, often leading those struggling to shy away from seeking help, sometimes with tragic outcomes. Our discussion ventures into the deep crevices of these issues, highlighting how open conversations and workplace wellness initiatives can serve as lifelines. We also analyze the post-pandemic surge in mental health problems within specific demographics, scrutinizing the dual nature of social media as both a connector and an isolator. By understanding these dynamics, we can better equip ourselves with the necessary tools to offer a helping hand.
The episode wraps up by shining a spotlight on the indispensable work done by NAMI Wood County. We delve into their vast range of programs and services, and introduce listeners to the Stigma Busters podcast—a platform amplifying the voices of those with lived experience and professionals in the field. Our appreciation for Courtney's insightful contributions sets the stage for continued discussions, as we strive to foster a society where mental health is treated with the care and understanding it deserves.
So just hearing those messages of outwardly people saying that there's nothing wrong with them that creates that barrier, and then they don't want to get the treatment that they need.
Bill Emahiser:Hello and welcome. I'm your Bill ,Emahiser, and you're listening to Mental Health U, the podcast dedicated to demystifying and destigmatizing mental health issues. So if you or someone you know is struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma or some other mental health issue, then this podcast is for you. This episode is proudly sponsored by Unison Health, dedicated to making lives better through compassionate, quality mental health and addiction treatment services. Learn more at unisonhealthorg. On today's show, we're talking all about stigma. I'm excited to introduce our next guest from Namiwood County, courtney Rice. Courtney, how are you today?
Courtney:I'm doing great Bill. How about yourself?
Bill Emahiser:I am doing super fantastic. I'm really excited to have you on the show today. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and maybe how you got into the mental health space?
Courtney:Yeah, absolutely. So I kind of started being interested in mental health really when I was in college. I have an undergraduate in psychology from BGSU so proud Falcon over here I've always had a passion for helping people and I've always been told that I'm a really good listener, which is a really good skill to have when you're in this field with listening listener which is a really good skill to have when you're in this field with listening. And I was actually encouraged to go into social work because of you know my passion for wanting to help others and in mental health. So I've always had an interest in what they've referred to when I was in college as abnormal human behavior. So I had my undergraduate, like I said, in psychology and then I got my master's in social work from University of Toledo.
Courtney:After that I've worked in mental health through volunteerism and employment for about eight years now and I've worked at NAMI for four and I volunteered prior to that. I kind of just was one of those people that after I interned I stuck around and kept around and then eventually was able to land a job here as well. But I've also have lived experience with mental health as someone who's kind of been on the other side of living with a mental health condition. I've been diagnosed since I was 19. So, oh gosh, really, yeah, the past like 10 years I've been living with a diagnosis but uh, prior to that I was kind of showing some of those signs and symptoms. So I think not only having the educational experience helps, but also having that lived experience is huge for being able to help people. So, yeah, that's how I got involved in mental health.
Bill Emahiser:Today we're talking all about stigma. So I think you know this is a term that we banter about a lot on the mental health side, but I don't know that folks outside of the mental health world really have a clear idea of what stigma is. Could you define stigma for us?
Courtney:Sure. So kind of the official definition, if you will. It's usually those judgments that are expressed outwardly due to some sort of belief that people have, and really stigma in terms of mental health. It can be seen and through actions and through words. One example that I always like to share is kind of the idea of not using first-person language so, for example, saying schizophrenic instead of saying a person living with schizophrenia.
Courtney:It's a very simple thing, often people don't really think too much about it, but that can be stigmatic because when people say that they're putting the diagnosis ahead of the person, you know it's kind of the same idea of clumping you know people who have diabetes into you know a bunch of diabetics. It's kind of the same idea. People are more than just their diagnosis. So that's an example of something that could be stigmatic. Another example of stigma to help define it is saying comments like wow, the weather is so bipolar today, when really you know you're trying to say there's a drastic change in the weather, or wow, it was, you know, 60 degrees today and yesterday it was 30, which is a real example. The weather is a little back and forth.
Courtney:It is northwest ohio, I know right but you know, a lot of times people will place, you know, say things like bipolar when they're talking about the weather and that can be really stigmatic and really upsetting for people who do live with bipolar disorder and people who are just making those comments about the weather when that's something very real, that people live with.
Courtney:So you know, really it's a big piece of labeling someone, as their diagnosis can be very stigmatic or just being derogatory in that fashion as well. You know, using terms like that person is crazy or psychotic or insane. Really, people are more than just their diagnosis and I think that's where a lot of the stigmatic statements come from. Are people making those comments and just not having the education behind it and not fully understanding what they are saying?
Bill Emahiser:What is the impact of stigma on people who have mental health issues?
Courtney:I think one of the biggest impacts is it creates a barrier to seeking treatment and it's something that people are afraid to then go out and get the help that they need when they are really struggling. You know, for example, if someone starts to struggle with anxiety disorder, they're starting to kind of show those signs and symptoms. If they have all their friends or their family members saying, you know, you're crazy, you know it's all in your head, there's nothing really going on, they may not want to go and seek treatment because they're internalizing all of those thoughts and opinions of other people of, well, maybe I am, maybe it is all just in my head and maybe I don't need to get treatment for that it's. You know, it's not real.
Courtney:Those messages of outwardly people saying that there's nothing wrong with them. That creates that barrier and then they don't want to get the treatment that they need and it puts people down, it makes people afraid then to tell others when they're struggling and then they'll internalize everything that they're feeling and really you know not to get the help that they need. So, instead of you know starting out more on the intervention, the treatment side, unfortunately that can end up into a crisis situation and then that's where you know we'll see a lot of people who are attempting suicide or engaging in self-harm behaviors, because it's led to that point where they haven't seeked help, they haven't sought the resources that they need, and now you know they're in a crisis situation.
Bill Emahiser:Absolutely so, you know, as, as somebody who is whether we're in the mental health field or maybe a family member, or maybe we're just a person who's being thoughtful what can we do in our everyday lives to combat stigma?
Courtney:I think one of the first things is just being open and talking about mental health, having those open, engaging conversations with people in your life and just being open about it. I know here at Namiwood County we have a really great work culture, partially because we work in the mental health field. But, like me, a lot of the other folks, pretty much everyone here has lived experience to some extent, whether they live with a mental health condition or have a loved one. We all come with our own lived experience and one of the things that we recently put in place policy wise is having wellness days. So you know it's not necessarily a day where we take it and use it at sick time. You know our schedule, appointments. It's not vacation time but it's more just time that we can take off.
Courtney:You know if we're starting to feel burnout or having a hard time, you know with burnout or stress we're able to take a day and or just even a few hours and really to regroup and collect ourselves and I think having initiatives like that even in the workplace is really helpful but also just being mindful of our own thoughts and feelings.
Courtney:If we're starting to get stressed, if we're starting to feel that burnout, like I said, talking about it you know, talking with a parent or a spouse or employer hey, I'm not doing well, I need a day, I need some time. And if you're on the other end of that, supporting your loved one, giving them the help that they need, the time, the space, that listening ear and really just starting that conversation, whether it is, you know what are some coping skills that we can do to feel better, or, if, do we need to go seek treatment? I think either option works. Recovery is very individualized and it's not just straight path. There's a lot of different ways that we can go for that. So I think that's the first step in combating stigma, is just talking about it, which is what we're doing today and that's great.
Bill Emahiser:Absolutely. Having that dialogue is wonderful. You know, I recently just this past week I think a report came out from the CDC and it was talking about how mental health issues have really just kind of exploded, since there's almost like I'm using the word a tsunami of mental health issues since the pandemic and we're really seeing a huge spike in suicide rates, thoughts of suicide, hospitalizations in teenage girls I think that was the population that seemed to that and the LGBTQ population seems to have a really, really high rates of suicide and attempts right now. How does what are your thoughts about stigma impacting those rates and how people access help?
Courtney:I think we saw really an increase in that isolation the last few years, especially during the pandemic, and I think we had the kind of digital connection or that virtual, you know, with Zoom and all that. And for teens they were still able to, you know, talk with their friends or get on, you know, tiktok, twitter, whatever, whatever the youths get into social media wise and they're able to talk with one another and have that social connection which, in theory, you know, having social media can really be a great outlet for talking to. You know, your loved ones, your friends, your family. But when you're at a very impressionable age, you know, in adolescence, it can be really hard to be constantly connected to everyone and it's really hard to set those boundaries and those things in place of spending time by yourself or engaging with the people who are you know real life and you're able to connect with them. And you know social media is a really good way to connect but can also create a lot of issues oftentimes. You know, if someone is experiencing bullying at school, you know they go in, they. You know back in the day you could go home and you're away from the boys. They're not there. Unfortunately, now their phones are connected to them. You know they'll see those messages well, after the school day is done, on weekends, holidays, they still are being connected virtually and it can be really hard to escape that when it's constantly, you know, in their face.
Courtney:Another big part, too, is you know connecting. Know connecting digitally. Tone of voice is different based on, you know, talking in person versus with texting, and you know, I know there's these huge things. Now, if you know, do you use an exclamation point? Are you yelling? Are you excited if you use a period? Are you just finishing your sentence because that's the way grammar works, or are you angry at me? I've talked with a lot of people who work with adolescents and that's a huge thing. Is that they really take into account, you know reading into every single text message they get. Is he mad at me? Is she mad at me? There's constantly this back and forth.
Courtney:So I think, in terms of contributing to, you know, these suicide rates with you know, teens, I think just terms of contributing to these suicide rates with teens, I think just the fact that I think social media can contribute to it. I know part of what I like to do with my job is making social media a good outlet and a positive outlet so people can see those happy messages and that they're not constantly, you know, seeing the negativity all the time. Because you know if we are going to be connected virtually, then I think we need to show kindness in that way. But I think it's really hard when you're at an impressionable age as an adolescence, to understand. You know, just because they ended their sentence in a period doesn't mean that they're mad at me.
Courtney:It can be really challenging, you know, as a former teenage girl, to understand. You know it's not the end of the world. But it can be really hard when you don't have those coping skills in place. And I think that's why it's more important than ever that you know we talk to the kids in our lives and let them know that they are loved and that they're appreciated, and you know, if they are starting to show those signs and symptoms of any mental health condition, that we reach out and we support them.
Bill Emahiser:Social media is funny. It's a funny thing. There's no context, and I think that's great advice. Though, if somebody is starting to exhibit those symptoms that you know, we reach out and get help. Don't wait, right. I mean, I think that's just a big issue that oftentimes we all kind of do it. Even with physical health issues we're like I can put it off, I can wait. Mental Health U is brought to you by Unison Health. Unison Health making lives better. Now, you mentioned, you know, as we were talking about social media you know we were you were talking a little bit more about teens and I was thinking is there, when we talk about mental health issues and having that conversation, to decrease stigma, is there a way that we talk differently to adults versus young people or teens?
Courtney:I think in terms of talking about mental health, there's the same common themes with that, but I think the way that we go about talking about it could look a little bit differently. But I think it really just depends on where that person is in terms of their recovery or where their signs and symptoms are. And I think it obviously depends on age. I would say the way you talk with a five five year old about mental wellness is going to be a little bit differently than a 15 year old. But I know at NAMI one of the presentations that we have for middle school and high school is a presentation called ending the silence and this shares a lot of the same information about signs and symptoms and crisis and how to get help as our other NAMI presentations too that are more geared toward adults. But the good perspective that we have for that is we have the peer perspective of a young adult who you know was not too long ago in high school and can remember that. So there's a lot of value in sharing that peer lived experience.
Courtney:So hearing someone who is like me and who has had a similar experience, you know if I'm standing up in front of a bunch of kids trying to talk to them about mental health, they may not be as receptive as someone who is closer in age to them. And you know it's kind of the same thing. You know, if someone who is 10, 20, 30, 40 years older than me is trying to tell me what to do, I may not be as receptive. So having someone who I can identify with and can share that lived experience and I can see them as a peer is huge. So I, you know, would encourage people to, you know, find that lived experience and that peer perspective when they're looking for that. And definitely if you're in Wood County and you work for a school and you're looking for a presentation for the students, let us know we can do an Edding the Silence presentation at your school.
Bill Emahiser:Well, that kind of leads me to talking a little bit about your organization. Could you tell us what NAMI is for those who might not know?
Courtney:Absolutely so. Nami stands for National Alliance on Mental Illness. We at NAMI, wood County, we're the affiliate for the Wood County area, so we serve Bowling Green, perrysburg, rossford, all the small villages and towns in between. There are NAMIs across the nation and there are state affiliates and county affiliates. So there's NAMI Ohio and so on and so forth with other states and other counties as well.
Courtney:The mission for NAMI is to support, educate and advocate for individuals who are affected by mental illness.
Courtney:So we do that through our education piece. So those classes, presentations, trainings, like the Ending the Silence I was talking about, to help teach people about mental health conditions. We offer support groups for people who are living in recovery or who have a loved one with a mental health condition. So whether it's a spouse, a child, a family member of any sort, a friend, we offer support groups for that. And then, through our advocacy, we help to identify and assist in addressing any gaps that we may see in the community in terms of, you know, barriers to treatment or any other issues that we feel are necessary to advocate for so people can get the best services and resources possible and so people who are affected by mental illness are able to get the help that they need. We do that through probably at least at our affiliate over 20 programs. So we'll be on this podcast for the next day if I go into talking about all that, but in a nutshell, nutshell, that is what we do at NAMI Wood County that is wonderful you know we've had.
Bill Emahiser:You're one of our partners in Wood County. I know you do so much in the community to educate and to help folks understand more about in combat stigma you also have. Could you tell us a little bit about you? You have a podcast as well there at NAMI. Could you tell us a little bit about you? Have a podcast as well there at NAMI. Could you tell us a little bit about that, Because we're talking about stigma today.
Courtney:Yes, I would love to promote my podcast, so it is called Stigma Busters. I've had this going for about two years now and part of my role is actually contracted with the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board, or ANIMIS. So part of the role that I have is to provide education to the community. So I do that through this podcast called Stigma Busters.
Courtney:I have had Bill and other community partners come on as well as people who have that lived experience I was talking about to address stigma, talk about services available, kind of share their perspective, whether they're a clinician in the community or a community member, an advocate. They come on and talk about how they've addressed stigma in their lives and how people in the community can, and usually it's on a specific topic. So I have an episode actually coming out on eating disorders this month, in February.
Courtney:So I have someone coming on who has lived with an eating disorder and she also worked at a clinic, so she kind of has two hats that she wears. So I'm really excited for that episode. But you can find Staple Busters on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or you can visit the website. It's on Buzzsprout, the hosting site, so definitely check it out after you listen to this podcast?
Bill Emahiser:Yeah, fantastic. And where could people find out more information about NAMI Wood County in general?
Courtney:Yeah, so you can visit our website. We keep that as up-to-date as possible. That is namiwoodcountyorg. You can also give us a call at the office.
Bill Emahiser:We always will answer the phone 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. Our number is 419-352-0626. Or you can always send us an email at info at namiwoodcountyorg. Well, Courtney, thank you so much for spending some time with us today talking about stigma, talking a little bit about NAMI and sharing your wisdom and knowledge with us. I really, really appreciate it.
Courtney:Yeah, absolutely. It was a pleasure, as always, to chat with you Bill.
Bill Emahiser:I look forward to have. We'll have you on again, for sure.
Courtney:Ooh.
Bill Emahiser:I'm excited. Thanks so much.
Courtney:Thank you.
Bill Emahiser:This podcast has been brought to you by Unison Health. Unison Health, a non-profit mental health agency dedicated to serving the northwest ohio community for the past 50 years.