Business Insight presented by Arlington Dermatology Mental Health and Healthcare We hear a lot about mental health recently. Whether it is post-covid mental health crisis or mass shooting, school children and lonely seniors, it seems like mental health 'became popular' as a topic. There are various forms of mental health. Some are categorized as a clear disease. Depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, bi- polar disorder are good examples. While they are medical conditions, diagnosing them is a different story. It does require a specialist, psychiatrist, who can assess mental status and medical history before prescribing proper treatment. Some depressive disorders are a result of a life event, perhaps a loss of a family member or unemployment. In other cases, a person can have a secondary depressive disorder due to another medical condition, pain, or difficulty to move. All medical specialties see patients for their respective diseases and often, we realize depression is a part of the main condition. Patients with chronic arthritis, psoriasis, or cancer can develop depression out of hopelessness to cure or help their disease. These are different from chronic depression that comes out of no disorder but rather is a part of a personality. It is also very difficult to distinguish between mental disease and behavioral challenges. Many people are thought of a mental patient while truly, they just disagree with the whole world and rage. Whether they have a personality problem or bi- polar disorder is impossible to say without a serious and professionally conducted assessment. Mental health has always been left behind. It is a societal stigma to talk about it in some communities. It is also covered by insurances in a different way than regular medical care. There are still many insurance carriers and plans that do not cover the simplest services like counseling by a psychologist or a social worker. And these preventive services could potentially save many dollars and possibly lives of others. Consequences of poor delivery of mental health services are suffered by the entire society. We experience these challenges at home and at a workplace. We see them in our clinic. Patients who receive proper mental health care are calmer, more sociable, better adjusted and communicating. It is easy to identify those who need mental care but I have not received any. It works against them, but they tend to blame everybody else. We are far from judging and diagnosing mental health conditions. This is not our field. But, like the rest of the society and the community, we see these patients and we always wonder whether we should refer them to someone for help. I am pretty sure, neighbors and family members have similar dilemmas. And, with insurance still not being available to all, a chance is that some patients who really need that care will not ever receive it due to the cost. Remember, early intervention is the key. if you see someone who clearly is not So, coming back to my initial thoughts, comfortable in their own skin, for whatever reason, mental or behavioral, please, think about how we could influence our lawmakers to make it easier to access mental health services. Rather than talking about mental health after the facts, perhaps we should start being proactive and demand access to mental health for all. Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net Business Insight presented by Arlington Dermatology Mental Health and Healthcare We hear a lot about mental health recently . Whether it is post - covid mental health crisis or mass shooting , school children and lonely seniors , it seems like mental health ' became popular ' as a topic . There are various forms of mental health . Some are categorized as a clear disease . Depression , schizophrenia , anxiety , bi polar disorder are good examples . While they are medical conditions , diagnosing them is a different story . It does require a specialist , psychiatrist , who can assess mental status and medical history before prescribing proper treatment . Some depressive disorders are a result of a life event , perhaps a loss of a family member or unemployment . In other cases , a person can have a secondary depressive disorder due to another medical condition , pain , or difficulty to move . All medical specialties see patients for their respective diseases and often , we realize depression is a part of the main condition . Patients with chronic arthritis , psoriasis , or cancer can develop depression out of hopelessness to cure or help their disease . These are different from chronic depression that comes out of no disorder but rather is a part of a personality . It is also very difficult to distinguish between mental disease and behavioral challenges . Many people are thought of a mental patient while truly , they just disagree with the whole world and rage . Whether they have a personality problem or bi polar disorder is impossible to say without a serious and professionally conducted assessment . Mental health has always been left behind . It is a societal stigma to talk about it in some communities . It is also covered by insurances in a different way than regular medical care . There are still many insurance carriers and plans that do not cover the simplest services like counseling by a psychologist or a social worker . And these preventive services could potentially save many dollars and possibly lives of others . Consequences of poor delivery of mental health services are suffered by the entire society . We experience these challenges at home and at a workplace . We see them in our clinic . Patients who receive proper mental health care are calmer , more sociable , better adjusted and communicating . It is easy to identify those who need mental care but I have not received any . It works against them , but they tend to blame everybody else . We are far from judging and diagnosing mental health conditions . This is not our field . But , like the rest of the society and the community , we see these patients and we always wonder whether we should refer them to someone for help . I am pretty sure , neighbors and family members have similar dilemmas . And , with insurance still not being available to all , a chance is that some patients who really need that care will not ever receive it due to the cost . Remember , early intervention is the key . if you see someone who clearly is not So , coming back to my initial thoughts , comfortable in their own skin , for whatever reason , mental or behavioral , please , think about how we could influence our lawmakers to make it easier to access mental health services . Rather than talking about mental health after the facts , perhaps we should start being proactive and demand access to mental health for all . Michael Bukhalo , MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows , IL 60008 Tel . 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net