Make Mental Health a Priority in May

By Dr. Sanjay Chandragiri, M.D.

If you’re like me, you cherish pretty much everything about springtime, from the warmer temperatures to the abundant outdoor activities and rebirth of the flowers and trees.

Of course, that doesn’t change the fact that we as a society are dealing with some very difficult events at the moment, from the continuing global COVID-19 pandemic to the war in Ukraine and to rising inflation and supply shortages. Add all of that to the everyday stresses of life and it’s no wonder that people are experiencing increased rates of anxiety and depression.

How appropriate then that May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, an awareness campaign geared around encouraging people to practice self-care and seek out any of the many mental health resources available to them. This year, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is promoting a “Together for Mental Health” message, using the month “to bring our voices together to advocate for mental health and access to care through NAMI’s blog, personal stories, videos, digital toolkits, social media engagements and national events.”

It’s a noble goal, for sure, since mental illness remains a huge public health crisis throughout the United States and the rest of the world. According to NAMI, 1 in 5 American adults experience mental illness in some form and 1 in 20 are seriously afflicted by it. Meanwhile, 1 in 6 youths ages 6-17 have mental health disorders, and suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 34. Types of mental illness range from anxiety and depression to obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

These statistics reinforce the great need to further destigmatize mental health so that people aren’t so reluctant to get the help that they need. Fortunately, we have first-rate mental health services available here in Northeast Pennsylvania, including at the Wright Center for Community Health.

At the Wright Center, we offer an array of behavioral health services – therapy, psychiatric care and more – for children, adolescents and adults struggling with anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, substance use and addictive disorders, bullying, relationship stressors, LGBTQI+ issues, trauma, and loss and grief. In addition, our staff has made significant strides in the realm of telehealth services since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, in response to the shortage of psychiatrists in Northeast Pennsylvania and across the country, we started a psychiatry residency in July 2017 and expanded the number of residents accepted into the program in 2022. Our Accreditation Council for Medical Education–accredited residency is progressive in its integration of behavioral health services within primary care environments and promotion of preventive screenings, timely interventions and a team-based approach to care – especially for patients who may not initially seek help on their own.

Our psychiatry residents receive hands-on training in regional public health-based settings, including specialty practices, behavioral health clinics, hospitals and safety-net community health centers where they partner with primary care and addiction medicine teams. The first class graduated in 2021, and scored a 100% pass rate on the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology’s Psychiatry Certification examination.

We are thrilled to be doing our part to address the mental health needs of our community. We have a lot of work to do, but with further advocacy and innovation, we will continue to make great strides against mental illness.