BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Everyone struggles with their mental health at some point in their lives, but barriers often prevent people from getting the help they need.
According to the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, but more than half of those people with a mental health condition did not receive any treatment in the last year. Many groups, like NAMI, are working towards removing the barriers to mental health care.
“Breaking the barriers means that people who are predisposed to mental health conditions, or are already vulnerable in our communities are going to be able to receive adequate mental health support,” says Advocacy and State Program Director for NAMI Louisiana Tatiana Gonzalez.
“Baton Rouge has come a long way with addressing the barriers to mental health care,” says Gonzalez, but there is still more work to do.
BRProud’s Zach Labbé sat down with Wren Hyatt, who spoke candidly about their experience managing their mental health. Hyatt attempted suicide at the age of 14 and has been battling some of those barriers to treatment since.
Reflecting on a more recent stay in a mental health facility, Hyatt says, “I wasn’t worried about how it was going to be treated… I was worried about the money, and that really sucks.”
The cost of care is a common barrier that stops many from seeking help. NAMI Louisiana cites that of the 194,000 adults in Louisiana who did not receive needed mental health care, 48.1% did not because of cost.
“Sometimes your insurance might not cover it or that even if it does, it’s not just not as affordable,” says Founder of the You Are Not Alone Project Chelsea Borruano. She said with 8.9% of people in the state uninsured the cost is pretty substantial.
With no way to afford proper care, some never get the help they need.
“Barriers are the reason why people end up in the justice system or why they end up in emergency departments or without homes,” says Gonzalez.
One in four people with a serious mental illness has been arrested, and of the more than 3,000 unhoused people in Louisiana, one in five live with a serious mental health condition.
If you can afford the cost of care, you face the possibility that no one is immediately available.
“There’s a host of different options out there. It’s just that most people have waitlists now,” says Borruano.
But once you get in with someone, you may realize you do not connect with them.
“I tried and failed with a couple of therapists,” says Hyatt.
“Just as with your regular doctor or your primary care doctor, sometimes you have to try one and say, that’s not the perfect fit, so I’ll have to try again. And that’s the same way with your mental health,” says Executive Director of NAMI Louisiana Lashonda Williams.
Going through the process again can be difficult if you are already struggling.
“That can definitely be a deterrent. If you try one that doesn’t work out, are you really inclined to go put yourself through that again? Because it’s not easy,” says Borruano.
But it is an unfortunate part of the process.
“Don’t think that it means something about you or that you’re beyond help or anything like that. Nobody is, as long as they’re willing to seek the help,” says Hyatt.
Another barrier that prevents people from seeking help is the fear of how others will think of them.
“I could have been helped a lot sooner if my parents weren’t so afraid of the prospect that their child was mentally ill,” says Hyatt.
“Stigma definitely plays a big part in people even admitting that there is a problem,” says Executive Director of NAMI Louisiana, Lashonda Williams. “They are ashamed of being labeled or being looked at a certain way.”
Sometimes different cultures stigmatize mental health.
“We know that specific communities, the African-American, Black community, the Hispanic, Latinx community have cultural barriers that cause them to stigmatize mental illnesses more,” said Gonzales. “I say that because I am a Latina, so I have been there in those shoes of the cultural barriers that prevent our community from seeking help. It’s so important for communities who are already marginalized to be able to access mental health and empower them to know that they’re not alone… if we talk about it as a community, we can all heal together.”
“Going through this alone sucks, and it’s very, very hard… don’t be ashamed of struggling,” says Hyatt.
“Taking care of your mental health means that you’re going to be able to show up for your family members or your loved ones. You’re going to be able to have a stable job, or be a stable member of your community,” says Gonzales.
Finding the right resources is not always straightforward, and there is not a lot of awareness of your options. Borruano said when she needed help, she had to search endlessly to find contact information.
“I think if I would have been directed to one more website, I probably wouldn’t have picked up the phone,” says Borruano.
But there is an effort in the works to make it easier. The Mayor’s Healthy City Initiative is creating a one-stop database of resources for mental health and substance use disorders in East Baton Rouge Parish. That database will launch later this year.
“To our knowledge, it will be the first all-encompassing behavioral health database of providers, organizations, and services ever in our community,” says Director of the Mayor’s Healthy City Initiative Jared Hymowitz.
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, consider the following resources:
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1 (800) 273-TALK
NAMI Crisis hotline: 1 (800) 237-8255 or text NAMI to 741741
NAMI Information Line: 1 (800) 950-NAMI
- NAMI Louisiana: Dedicated to eradicating the stigma, myths, and misconceptions of mental illnesses, to improving the quality of life for all who are affected by these illnesses, and to supporting recovery.
- You Are Not Alone Project: A nonprofit organization dedicated to forming a network of ongoing support for mental health and wellness in Baton Rouge and beyond so that no one ever has to feel alone.
- Louisiana Mental Health Association: Serves individuals who have been treated for any mental or emotional disorder and/or substance abuse, with a special focus on the seriously and chronically mentally ill adult population.
- One Stop: Essential Services for persons experiencing homelessness all under one roof.
- Capital Area Human Services: Public service provider for mental health, addictive disorders, and developmental disabilities services.
