May Mental Health Awareness Month: Ketamine

Did you know that approximately 22% of the adult American population has a mental illness?[1] That’s what the studies have been consistently showing and the number went up during the pandemic. Hence, raising awareness about mental health is the need of the hour.

May - the Mental Health Month

If you are looking for an opportunity to address your mental health, May may be a good month.

The month of May has been considered mental health awareness month or simply mental health month since 1949. It was first observed in the US by an organization called National Association for Mental Health(NAMI). Ever since then May has been renowned as the mental health month worldwide.

Its purpose is to raise awareness about the mental disorders that are commonly stigmatized by society. Having an entire month dedicated to mental health disorders highlights the importance of mental health problems while spreading the information about the various types of mental health conditions, their signs, and symptoms, their potential consequences, and treatment options. The sooner you take care of your mental health, the better the outcome would be.

Each year the NAMI committee decides on a theme for the awareness programs and events. The theme for the year 2022 is, Together for mental health, which refers to coming together to raise awareness. You can use digital platforms, social media, make videos, step out of the house, or take part in national events and voice your message to address the importance of mental health.  [2]

Why is Mental Health Important?

The importance of mental health lies in every aspect of our lives. Mental health is a vital part of our lives, and it shapes our behaviors, thoughts, and emotions. A sound mental mind is necessary for healthy interactions with each other.  It also leads to increased productivity and happiness both at home and at work. Various mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other such conditions should be managed timely and effectively as these conditions can decrease the quality of one’s life and lead to harmful consequences.

Good mental health is also a preventive factor against many medical conditions such as heart disease. It improves our mood, increases self-esteem, and helps us think more clearly. Such constructive traits ultimately help in building healthy relationships. The end results are happy individuals, healthy societies, and a better world.  

Therefore, we need to continue working together to create a world where anyone affected by mental illness can get the appropriate support and quality of care to live healthy, fulfilling lives.

Alternative Mental Illness Treatment Options

We all are aware that exercise habits can provide a solid foundation for good mental health. When you see a psychiatrist, they often provide medication treatment that works for many people, particularly when combined with psychotherapy. For those who did not respond to the traditional treatment modalities, ketamine therapy could be beneficial.

Ketamine has been traditionally used as an anesthetic, but it has been gaining more attention from the medical community as an alternative treatment for various mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. While only esketamine nasal spray (Spravato) and injectable ketamine are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), other forms are used off-label or in clinical research. You can read more about ketamine therapy here.

REFERENCES

1. Charlson, F., van Ommeren, M., Flaxman, A., Cornett, J., Whiteford, H., & Saxena, S. (2019). New WHO prevalence estimates of mental disorders in conflict settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet (London, England), 394(10194), 240–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30934-1
2. Latha, K., Meena, K. S., Pravitha, M. R., Dasgupta, M., & Chaturvedi, S. K. (2020). Effective use of social media platforms for promotion of mental health awareness. Journal of education and health promotion, 9, 124. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_90_20

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