EDITORIAL: Oklahomans must move into 21st century in dealing with mental illness

Sept. 24--HOW powerful is the stigma associated with mental illness? Consider a story told last week by former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy.

Kennedy, who has suffered with addiction issues and bipolar disorder, was a Democratic congressman from Rhode Island when he authored a bill to make group insurance firms offer the same benefits for mental health and addiction treatment as they do for physical health treatment.

After he was arrested for driving under the influence in 2006, Kennedy said, several colleagues came to talk to him about their own experiences with mental illness or addiction. Yet those same congressmen voted against his bill. They told him, "I can't vote that way because I'm from the Midwest ... My constituents say it's not a medical issue."

The bill ultimately was approved in 2008, but it's clear that little has changed since then. For men in general, and those in Oklahoma in particular, acknowledging the need for mental health assistance is a huge hurdle, experts said at the 20th annual Zarrow Mental Health Symposium in Tulsa.

That reluctance has to play some role in what must be considered a suicide crisis -- 79 percent of those who die by suicide in Oklahoma are male. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among Oklahoma's youth. The state's suicide rate for adults is 24.9 per 100,000 residents. The national rate is half that.

Savannah Kalman, who directs suicide prevention efforts for the state's mental health agency, called the statistics "staggering." And they are. Developing a strategy to make a dent in those statistics is daunting.

Efforts have increased to assist students in getting help, and to educate teachers about potential signs of trouble among young people and how to properly discuss suicide. These are all critical: The sooner mental health problems can be identified, the better the chance of making a positive difference.

Reaching out to adults, particularly men, is difficult because of the stigma attached. An advertising campaign by Kalman's agency uses humor to urge men to seek help. She noted that men are least likely to schedule even routine doctor exams. "We need men to find a way to say, 'It's OK to get services, and I know where to get them,'" she said.

However, another anecdote from Kennedy revealed a different problem -- some medical professionals failing to see the connection between physical health and mental health. After his DUI conviction, Kennedy said, he went to his doctor for back pain. The doctor OK'd a prescription for a powerful painkiller even after Kennedy had said he was in a 12-step recovery program and had an addiction problem.

"His training was not to ask about mental health," Kennedy said. "My friends, this is Stone Age stuff!"

Where mental health is concerned, we need to pull ourselves into the 21st century in Oklahoma. The toll it's taking on the state is too great. We can no longer be afraid to admit to ourselves or others that we may need help. And if our sons or daughters or friends confess the same, then we as parents and siblings and friends must find the courage to try to get them that help.

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