Doctor Mike

Mental Health In The Media: Good Intentions, Bad Outcomes? | Doctor Mike (2x44)

: 17, 2018

Mental health can be a tricky topic to cover in media let alone on YouTube. Lately, I've noticed a huge uptick in these stories and many if not all of them have great intentions. However, I have seen some questionable information floating around and it's leading me to share this concern with you guys. Even when someone wants to do something good it can lead to some unwanted consequences. Take for instance the peanut allergy situation. Parents tried protecting their children from peanuts so much so that it actually caused a spike in allergies. Now we know exposing children early on to peanuts is beneficial. This is just one example of when good intentions can lead to bad outcomes. The mental health conversation is getting a lot of buzz lately and patients have come into my office having what I call anxiety on anxiety. They are literally being anxious about their feelings of anxiety (even when they are totally appropriate). Also, many have self-diagnosed themselves from media (often incorrectly) and it takes a great deal of work and convincing to get them to let those thoughts go. Diagnosing a mental illness is complex and takes time. This is why it is best to go see your doctor to get a full examination and have an open discussion about what's going on in your life. If you or a loved one is in immediate danger calling 911 and talking with police may be necessary. It is important to notify the operator that it is a psychiatric emergency and ask for an officer trained in crisis intervention or trained to assist people experiencing a psychiatric emergency. National Suicide Hotline (please call if you need to 24/7): 1-800-273-8255 National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline: 1-800-950-6264