Mental Health; There are levels to this S#*T

BY RALPH BRYANT

I recently had the honour of serving on a panel discussion for the Jamaica Ex-Soldiers Association – Toronto Chapter, for their Black History Month event under the topic, “Your Mental Health and the Challenges Resulting From The Pandemic.” As I was telling the story of my ongoing struggle with mental illness, I couldn’t help but stare into the eyes of these brave men and women, wondering what horrors their eyes had seen, and the demons they are forced to struggle with every single day.

I made the same mistake that so many of us make; I questioned whether my struggles were more or less important than the group of heroes to whom I was speaking. I did this as if there is some secret competition the world is playing, where we have to measure our illness against each other, as if there is some prize waiting for us at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box of wellness. We measure every facet of our lives against our friends, family, colleagues, and even strangers on social media. Like with everything in the world, there are levels to this, a phrase in the culture first used on the classic TV show, The Wire, and confirmed in the Meek Mill track, Levels. This is especially true when thinking about mental illness, where many factors impact where on the spectrum each person lies.

We all know the headings: depression, anxiety, mania, schizophrenia, etc. and we tend to think about suicide as the ultimate “goal” for those suffering. Yet again, we must remember that for each of these examples, there are levels to this, a spectrum of symptoms that are unique to each of us, requiring a tailored approach to cracking their code. This can include utilizing everything from breathing exercises to medication, therapy to hospitalization and everything in between.

In developing my personal strategy for looking at my ongoing recovery, I identified the three levels that we should be thinking about.

Biological
According to the Mayo Clinic, mental illness is more common in people whose blood relatives also have a mental illness. In my case, my maternal mother, grandmother, and grandfather also struggled with mental illness. My mother was hospitalized multiple times during my childhood. Understanding your family history will make it easier to create your personalized treatment plan.

Environmental
These factors refer to your immediate world around you. Are you rich or poor? Do you have access to education and food? Do you receive physical love? Hugs and snuggles? Have you experienced unconditional love? Our biological triggers can be made significantly better or worse based on the environmental solution available. With access to resources, biological triggers can be improved. Without treatment, someone with a mild issue might descend into a deeper spiral.

Societal
These factors refer to how we are impacted by the extended world around us. In the good old days, our society’s impact may have been limited to our neighbourhood, also known as the block effect. There was some safety in how far we could be impacted. Unfortunately, with our dependence on social media and our obsession with video games, so much of our deepest connections are with people we will never meet. This trend, combined with the “cat fishing” of our society, where so many people are unwilling to be themselves or show their true selves, forces us to add extra weight to how we allow social media to impact us.

Where we must also take care is the impact those three levels of mental illness can have on our physical well-being. According to a study by the Canadian Mental Health Association, people living with a serious mental illness are at a higher risk of experiencing a wide range of chronic physical conditions.

There is also the potential significance of the side effects of antidepressants and other pharmaceuticals on us. I was hospitalized twice with allergic reactions to different medications. In fact, there is a segment of the psychiatric community to question our dependence on prescription pharmaceutical drugs. For me, it was the primary really for me choosing to rid myself of taking all medications, instead of relying on alternative and holistic methods.

Understanding the levels and where your triggers come from are critically important when seeking therapy options, especially when looking backwards at healing through our history. Most important, it allows us to recognize that whatever level on the spectrum you might be, your level matters and it deserves to be heard, respected and treated.