I have read several scholar articles, listened to a couple of podcasts, and taken two quizzes.  The thing that stands out to me about our current mental health challenge is the number of people suffering from depression globally and the link to disability.  “According to the World Health Organization, globally, 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.”  I know how hard depression can hit you firsthand, I was not aware that it could lead to leaving a person incapacitated and losing the ability to function completely in their surroundings.  The number was extremely high, even for a worldwide poll.

Growing up in a Mexican American household, I always heard that we needed to tough out our emotions and a sign of crying was weak.  I cry a lot, I always thought that made me weak.  In the past several years, I have gone through some major events in my life, and they did not seem to stop.  I sought help and went to a counselor.  In my culture, there is a stigma connected to getting counseling.  I went anyways!  It was the best decision I had ever made in my life.  It helped me reflect on all the events in so many ways.  Through this experience, I have become an advocate for all who secretly tell me their problems.  I guide them to seek professional help and even though they think the worst of themselves initially, they come back and thank me for guiding them and encouraging them to seek help.  I knew the numbers were high, but it shocked me that our society is still judgmental for those that seek help and want to get better.  I took the Deconstructing Stigma Quiz at https://deconstructingstigma.org/mental-health-quiz.  The quiz stated, “Three out of four people with a mental illness report that they have experienced stigma….When a person is labeled by their illness, they are seen as part of a stereotyped group. Negative attitudes create prejudice, which leads to negative actions and discrimination.”  With these numbers, it is no wonder people do not seek help and if they do, they cannot advocate for fear of being judged.  I like to attend virtual trainings and am certified in Mental Health First Aid.  The quizzes made me realize that even though I work in the mental health field, I am not familiar with the “real world” numbers because I focus on my students.

What do you know about Mental Health?

Here are links for quizzes to find out what your knowledge on Mental Health is like!

Channel Kindness Mental Health Awareness Quiz

Deconstructing Stigma Mental Health Quiz

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mental Health Quiz

In therapy, many steps need to be taken and the models and framework that exist to guide the professional counselor makes a difference.

They include but are not limited to:

• Confidentiality and Its Limits

• Keep a Professional Distance

• Respect Differences in Cultural Values and Traditions

• Provide Equal Access to Opportunities and Support

• Respect the privacy of parents/guardians in accordance with the student's best interests

• Provide parents/guardians with accurate, comprehensive and relevant information in a caring manner as appropriate and consistent with legal and ethical responsibilities to the students and parents/guardians.

The code sets standards and policies that we must maintain and follow. I also helps to guide us and keeps our profession respectable by outlining specific roadmaps and ways to navigate our way in situations we may encounter along the way.