In the past few years, mental health has moved to the forefront of healthcare conversations.
General HealthClinically Speaking
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In the past few years, mental health has moved to the forefront of healthcare conversations. In 2020, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25% (opens in new tab). The unexpected changes, isolation from loved ones, economic struggles, and fear of the future are just a few stressors the pandemic caused (opens in new tab). While the pandemic brought to the surface many mental health struggles, it also shined a light on the importance of opening up and talking about these highly sensitive topics. These conversations have empowered more people to pay more attention to their mental health, and take important steps to protect it.
In order to take better care of your mental health, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms of potential issues. Mental health problems can appear in different ways (opens in new tab). You may notice that you feel sad, anxious, or low energy. Alternatively, extreme or sudden emotional outbursts, a loss in motivation or interest, sleep problems, or appetite and weight changes could also be indicative of mental health changes. It’s important to regularly check in with yourself to see how you’re actually doing. If you’re not sure where to start, it can be helpful to ask yourself:
Are you responding to situations in line with how you usually respond?
Have you felt different than you usually do, lately?
Are you okay with where you are in life, right now?
If the answer to any of these questions is ‘no’, that’s okay — there are ways to get meaningful support. Therapy, group counseling, rehabilitation, and medications can all be helpful resources (opens in new tab), depending on the kind of care you need — a doctor or therapist can help you figure out the best path based on your individual circumstances. There are also ways to adjust your lifestyle to promote mental health (opens in new tab), such as regular exercise, healthy eating, adequate sleep, connecting with loved ones, practicing gratitude, and more. Whether you’re ready to seek help from a medical professional, or want to begin new routines that support your overall well-being, there are resources available to guide you.
One of these resources that’s available to some Oscar members is Hurdle Health, the leading provider of culturally intentional mental healthcare (opens in new tab). Hurdle’s unique type of care exists to erase the invisible barriers that plague marginalized communities from accessing effective healthcare. These barriers were exacerbated during the pandemic and had a disappropionate effect on the mental health of People of Color. In fact, 48% Non-Hispanic Black adults and 46% of Hispanic or Latino adults (opens in new tab) reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, compared to 41% of Non-Hispanic White adults. Historically, these groups have had less access to mental healthcare and have been marginalized in this country. At Oscar, we believe that everyone deserves to have a mental healthcare professional who meets them where they are — personally, emotionally, and culturally — which is why we’re so excited about this partnership. The best part? Absolutely anyone can benefit from talking with a Hurdle therapist. To get started, sign up for a free, private, and confidential information session to see how a Hurdle therapist can help you, or you can register for therapy here (opens in new tab). The Hurdle team also has free mental health resources on their website (and we really recommend them).
Bottom line: if you’re not where you want to be emotionally or mentally, there’s absolutely no shame in addressing it. If you fell down and broke your arm, you wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to a doctor — why should mental health be any different?
