Op-ed: Mental illness a disease that must be treated, understood

As the chairman of the state House Sub-Committee on Mental Health, I recently chaired a hearing that explored issues relating to mental illness. Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy testified and provided some excellent information to our committee.

Mental illness across the United States and our commonwealth is quite common amongst our families, loved ones, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Some people who suffer from a mental illness may be candid and upfront about their illness, but it is more common for people who suffer from a mental illness to attempt to conceal it out of fear of discrimination or from the shame of stigma. Fewer than half of the people suffering from a mental illness seek treatment, and those who do understandably keep it strictly confidential.

Reliable reports state that 25 percent of all Americans live their lives with a mental health challenge of some magnitude. Mental illness is so common that it is the second-leading cause of disability after heart disease and is the second-leading cause of absenteeism in workplaces across America.

Mental illness affects 57.7 million Americans and even more when we consider the families who are impacted in caring for a loved one who is dealing with a mental health challenge.

Mental illness is not a character flaw, a personal failing or a private shortcoming. Like arthritis, diabetes, cancer and heart disease, mental illnesses are usually biologically based disorders and may be caused by a reaction to environmental stresses, genetic factors, biochemical imbalances or a combination. For some, a mental illness can be a lifelong struggle. However, proper treatment enables many people with a mental illness to lead fulfilling, accomplished, happy and productive lives.

One of the cruelest manifestations of mental health is the stigma that often accompanies it. The stigma of having a mental illness or having a mental illness in your family can be very powerful. Stigma can result in feelings of shame for a person suffering from a mental illness or for their family.

Our nation has made great advances in better understanding those who suffer from a mental illness. Thankfully, we have much greater compassion and understanding when it comes to the stigma associated with mental illness than we did years ago, but we have not completed our work yet. We have to do a better job and continue to educate our society and families about mental illness, and the need to have empathy for those who suffer.

There is much we can do to reduce the stigmatization of mental illness. These actions can include rethinking the incarceration of those who live with mental illness. Many people with a mental illness have committed criminal acts, but the true nexus of their criminal behaviors is their mental illness.

The Department of Justice tells us that upward of 10 percent of the inmates in the United States have serious mental challenges. The de-stigmatization should include open and candid talk about mental health within our families.

Finally, our society must insist on equal medical treatment of people with mental illness or parity. Mental illness is unlike a physical illness in that it cannot always be treated successfully with a single course of a medication. Sometimes, it takes years of therapy to simply discern what exactly the diagnosis is for a patient. Of course, such prolonged treatments are not the genre of claims that insurance companies favorably accept and pay.

The Sub-Committee on Mental Health is exploring these issues and others relating to mental illness. Please follow our work on my website at www.repmurt.com ??

Rep. Tom Murt represents the 152nd Legislative District, comprising parts of the Northeast and Montgomery County.