We know how to identify the symptoms in our bodies when they are hurting or feeling sick. This is why we schedule appointments with our doctors, to have our questions answered and to receive a diagnosis on how to improve ourselves. Our physical health is often on the frontline for medical services making our mental health take a back seat.
Mental Health Crisis in America
According to the CDC, more than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their life. Where we live, our genetics, childhood experiences, overall health, access to material resources, and income all play a significant role in our overall mental health. This can be amplified for individuals in minority groups experiencing discrimination.
The CDC recently published that during late June of 2020 nearly 40% of U.S adults reported struggling with mental health. This means that when we are facing crises such as the pandemic, the recent wildfires that impacted our communities, and racial injustices, that we are more vulnerable to develop a mental illness due to the isolation and stresses.
Services Made Easy
This is why at Orchid, we are making our mental and emotional health services just as accessible and straightforward as our current medical services. If there is one thing in life that is known, it is that there are ups and downs, life throws curveballs at us, and there are times and situations that leave us feeling sad, anxious, mentally overwhelmed, or exhausted.
Orchid's mental health team is right there with you and is working to make getting support in navigating these feelings as accessible as coming in for a sprained ankle. We listen to what you're going through and offer evidence-based advice and suggestions for what might help you successfully navigate through your current situation.
Our appointments are often shorter, are goal-oriented, and available by appointment just like our physical health appointments.
When to Seek Support
Getting support for your mental health regardless of the state of your mental health can help support your goals, cope with the stresses of life, work productively, and teach healthy habits. Some early signs that you may be experiencing mental health problems are:
- Eating or sleeping too much or too little
- Pulling away from people and usual activities
- Having low or no energy
- Feeling numb or like nothing matters
- Having unexplained aches and pains
- Feeling helpless or hopeless
- Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual
- Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared
- Yelling or fighting with family and friends
- Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
- Having persistent thoughts and memories you can't get out of your head
- Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
- Thinking of harming yourself or others
- Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or school
How We Help
This is why our mental and emotional health services work with you to understand your lifestyle and goals. Our team improves the quality of your life by helping you:
- Stay positive
- Get physically active
- Help others
- Develop better sleeping habits
- Develop coping skills
- Connect with others
- Improve your nutrition
Mental health plays a role in people’s physical health and mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, and affect people’s ability to do health-promoting activities. This is why we believe it is important to look at your mental health as much as you would a sprained ankle, a rash, or even a cough.
We look forward to implementing an innovative model of mental and emotional health services for our patients as part of our Healthy Rural Community vision.