It is widely known in the field of mental health that only about 40% of people living with a diagnosable mental illness are actually seeking and receiving the professional health care that they need. Which begs the question…what are the other 60% - roughly 97,000 people in the Wichita metro area - doing instead?
We know that many of those people are pursuing what would generously be referred to as hobbies. And while too often those hobbies are just addictions by another name, in fairness, some of those hobbies are actually helpful and good for you. Hiking, cooking, reading, knitting, and more can all be very healthful activities to cope with the symptoms of mental illness. However, they are not cures. At best, hobbies are a way of reducing the symptoms of a mental illness, or possibly delaying the onset of those symptoms. But if you are indeed living with a diagnosable mental illness which is usually either hereditary or caused by a chemical imbalance, no amount of weekend woodworking is going to provide genuine recovery.
At some point, those illnesses will manifest symptoms that are beyond the control of your favorite past times. And when that happens, it will be vital for you to be aware of the full scope of mental health resources available in Wichita. By making those calls or searching websites now, you will be prepared to help yourself or others whom you care about in their time of need.
