If mental health awareness isn't enough, what are the next steps? How do you move beyond awareness?
During KNX News’ “Awareness is Not Enough: An ‘I’m Listening’ Town Hall,” Dr. Marcus Rodriguez, a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder & director of the Youth & Family Institute, said one way is by focusing less on symptoms and more on the source of the problem.
"A lot of times, we're focusing on reducing people's anxiety, their OCD symptoms, their ADHD, their substance use, which ironically for them is a coping mechanism that is how they're coping with their anxiety, and their anxiety is rescuing them from feeling out of control and helpless of getting their core needs met," which is often in response to their trauma, said the doctor.
Dr. Rodriguez believes if we hone in on reducing symptoms through interventions such as psychiatric medication but not on helping people develop new knowledge, skills, and abilities to get their core needs met, "then we are putting a band-aid on a problem."
Next steps might take a bit more effort for some, and as Amy Kane, MFT sees things, it will take a significant shift in the collective social consciousness to support those in the LGBTQ community suffering from mental health issues.
Kane is the associate director of mental & behavioral health at the L.A. LGBT Center, and she said, "While the message in some ways is we've taken steps [forward], in other ways not."
She cites federal and local regulations that aim to further marginalize the LGBTQ community, and this, coupled with historical issues many in the community face, "it's a really scary time to be part...of the queer community and look around and say, 'well, there are a lot of people out there that really hate us.'"
Kane pointed out that intersectionality also significantly affects how difficult it can be for an individual to navigate mental health issues, leaving many people feeling isolated with nowhere to go.
Dr. Lisa Wong, clinical psychologist and director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, said for progress to be made, it's essential for everyone to be well educated on the available mental health services, not just those suffering.
"At some point in our lives, we will all be that person who knows somebody who may be at risk or who may be contemplating. And if we can, let those people know that they have a place to go, they have someone to call, they have somebody who can respond." Armed with knowledge, "Then they will be less afraid to be that person who actually says something," Dr. Wong said.
She said that often, when clinicians hear from folks who have survived a loved one attempting or dying by suicide, the person says, "I wanted to say something. I just didn't know what to say." Education can empower everyone to know what to say and, better yet, what to do.
So, to answer the question, if awareness isn't enough, what is? In simplest terms, it seems - we need action.
You can find “Awareness is Not Enough: An ‘I’m Listening' Town Hall from KNX News 97.1 FM from the Helpful Honda Sound Space" on our YouTube and the Audacy app.
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