The narrative of chemical imbalance being the only explanation for mental disorders is not accurate, as many individuals who experience extreme states of mental distress have trauma from abuse or war, which goes beyond being classified as a disease. This narrative needs to be challenged to provide more accurate and varied explanations for mental health disorders.
The narrative of having a chemical imbalance as the only explanation for depression is a misconception that people are given as the sole cause of their mental health issues. In reality, the road to recovery requires a combination of embracing the healing process and therapies with the help of medication if needed.
As the intensity of combat has gone down, the casualty rates have also gone down, but disability claims for PTSD have gone up. Only around 10% of the US military experiences direct combat, but approximately 20% of people experience long-term PTSD.
This podcast discusses the importance of leaders being aware of trauma and being able to empathize with those who have gone through it as it can be a tipping point for suicide prevention. The speaker also notes that all traumas, no matter the severity, should be taken seriously.
Trauma refers to physical or emotional pain that our body naturally responds to via the fight, flight or freeze response, and its effects can be seen in our hypervigilance reactions later in life, as experienced currently during COVID-19.
Trauma can occur as a result of many experiences, lifetime stresses or anything that is subjectively distressing. When our brains sense danger, our bodies flood with chemicals to make us fight back or run away but if you're child, you may end up feeling agitated and powerless.