OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — There has been more discussion about mental health in recent years, however starting that mental health journey can be difficult.
Julia Hebenstreit with The Kim Foundation says when it comes to assessing our own mental health, it’s important not to overcomplicate things. She said oftentimes it’s important to look for physical symptoms such as chest discomfort or stomach pain that can’t be explained by anything else.
“The most overlooked symptom of any mental illness that is overlooked by not just individuals like you and I but even the medical community from time to time can be those physical pieces that you feel,” She said.
No matter our mental health status, Hebenstreit said it’s something that requires constant attention. She said anxiety is the most common form of mental illness and many of its signs and symptoms, we try to overlook.
The stigma around mental health still hasn't gone away. Hebenstreit said because you can’t see mental illness, that can also make it hard to know when it’s time to seek help.
Hebenstriet said many people try to explain it away.
“That’s a lot of the mindset that we have moved forward with,” She said. “I'll get over this, you’ll be fine, just pull yourself up by the bootstraps any form of that saying and that’s just not the case.”
She said oftentimes our view of when we should seek help from mental illness comes from what we see in the media and that we should keep in mind it doesn’t have to get that bad for us to start the process.
“The earlier you intervene the more successful your recovery will be and the healthier you’ll be moving forward,” Hebenstreit said.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness or just needs help connecting to resources, call 988 or the Nebraska Helpline at 888-866-8660.
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