By Amanda Brennan
Published: Sep. 5, 2017 at 10:45 PM AKDT
Mental health issues have continued create inaccurate and often unfair stereotypes; and treatment for these conditions often suffers the same dishonor.
In this week's Health Report Amanda Brennan discusses demystifying the stigma of "The Fourth Floor."
Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, Prof. of Psychiatry, Columbia University:
"Everyone should know someone with a mental disorder, and the fact that many of us may think we don't, reflects three inconvenient truths that we lack an understanding and awareness of what mental illness is, that we're reluctant or ashamed to admit it, and that mental illness is highly stigmatized."
Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, Professor and Chair of Psychiatry at Columbia University, discusses an issue that is prevalent worldwide, and specifically in Fairbanks.
The stigma associated with mental health issues can be detrimental to the patient seeking care, or to the facility that provides the help.
One example is the Behavior Health Unit at the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, also ominously known as "The Fourth Floor".
At last week's Rotary luncheon at the Westmark Hotel Gold Room, Medical Director for the In-Patient Psychiatric Unit, Dr. Vanessa Venezia, spoke about demystifying the fourth floor.
She discusses why she thinks there is a misunderstanding regarding what takes place in the highly secured unit.
"Many people don't go to the fourth floor. It's a locked unit, and unless you've been admitted there, or have a friend or family member, and you've come and visited, you only have the idea in your head of what it looks like. And, unfortunately, media doesn't always portray what mental care really looks like, or what our purpose is, so people are left to assume, and people assume the worst."
Dr. Leiberman says that "treatments don't just eliminate the symptoms of the illness, they also eliminate the prejudice and the stigma".
Although there are patients that require restraint due to violent behavior, the majority of patients in the Behavior Health Unit go through a variety of treatments ranging from pet therapy, relaxation therapy provided by a volunteer harpist, and even a cooking class.
Dr. Venezia goes on to discuss why the variety of treatments, as opposed to just medicating.
"So it kind of spreads the whole gamut of treatment options in addition to obvious medication and then evidence based practices, we really focus on the wellness and the wholeness of the human individual not just medicating and trying to make someone something that they're not."
Although the Behavior Health Unit is helpful to adults with mental health issues, she says that there is a deficit when it comes to community supported housing for patients who are ready to live outside the hospital.
Venezia also mentions that lack of support that is available for children's services both on the inpatient and outpatient setting.
When asked what she would like to tell people who have a stigma towards the Behavior Health Unit, Venezia suggested we all look around at our community members and realize that treating mental health issues are no different than being submitted to a cancer treatment center, and that we are fortunate to have the services available in "The Fourth Floor".
