Why Mental Health Care Is Preventive Care
Does anyone really enjoy going to the doctor’s office? Or making a trip to the dentist?
Often, we go only when symptoms have become too painful to manage on our own—the ibuprophen or the pepto just won’t cut it. Maybe we’ve missed some days at work or spoken harshly to a loved one because of the pain. Maybe we’ve begun to despair that whatever it is won’t ever get better. Perhaps, we begin to self-medicate.
Of course, we all know the benefits of preventative health care; annual check-ups, regular teeth cleaning and x-rays, cancer screenings catch conditions before they become acute or unmanageable. A wise person knows taking early action to care for their body includes learning and applying healthy practices, like good diet and exercise, to avoid preventable conditions. Too often, we know what to do but don’t do it. Is that being wise?
And why is going to church or reading the Bible encouraged? Or joining a small group? Isn’t God available 24/7? Isn’t it enough to cry out to Him in our dark times? But notice even Jesus wasn’t casual about preventative care for His soul. Through Jesus’s practices and teachings, He modeled preventative soul care. He made time for what He needed most—connection with the Father. He withdrew to lonely places, spending forty days in the desert, alone with Him. He showed us how to pray and fast—and grow our faith. He kept Sabbath. He studied and shared the holy texts. He spent time with His family and His friends. He gave glory to God. He went about doing good. He knew trouble was coming and got ready—so can we. He shows us how, ‘having done all, to stand firm.’ Jesus showed us the wise way to prepare our soul.
What preventative mental health care really means:
So, to nurture body and soul, we learn practices that include preventing problems, the earlier the better—an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? What about care for our minds and our connections to others? As with caring for the body and soul, good mental health care includes increasing levels of prevention. to stop problems before they start or to improve outcomes. Good practices for staying mentally well include talking about your feelings, which fosters support and reduces isolation; getting enough sleep; eating well; moving your body; seeking out others and caring for them; and applying new practices such as wellness. These practices improve resilience and creativity, resulting in better mental functioning and social connections.
Those already aware of difficulties in their mental state, like depression or anxiety, or trouble in their relationships may need help identifying root causes and finding solutions. Factors contributing to poorer mental health can include life experiences, environment, spiritual confusion, and biological conditions; primary care doctors can help with diagnosis of the latter and they’re able to assess and treat some mental health conditions, often working with licensed counselors.
People with ongoing mental health problems may require care incorporating these elements and more to have the best possible outcomes. They can begin by being informed about their condition and recognizing they can manage it through medical care, counseling, peer support and pastoral care.
What early support can change over time:
What happens when we don’t take care of these areas wisely? Here are a few facts: in their lifetime, one in five Americans will be diagnosed with depression, one in three will experience an anxiety disorder; one in six has had a substance use problem in the past year. In 2024, approximately one in four U.S. adults (about 61.5 million people) experienced some mental illness; nearly half will do so in their lifetime. Roughly half did not receive some form of mental health treatment in 2024.
These are numbers for diagnoseable conditions; lives are also disrupted when symptoms are not so acute. The disruptions may come in the form of divorce and single-parent households, domestic violence, job loss, incarceration, estrangement from loved ones, loneliness, and self-harm. They may result in stress-related health problems like cardio-vascular disease, immune system suppression, and gastro-intestinal conditions. Note that these disruptions are largely preventable, more so with early intervention.
Why many people wait too long to seek support:
All these issues have roots in mental health status. And yet, half of Americans do not get needed care. Here are some reasons why not: many in need of care don’t recognize the problem, or if they do, they don’t see that they are contributing to it. For some, just thinking about the problem is too painful. Some believe mental healthcare will not be helpful or fear a practitioner might force medications on them. There are costs of time and money. Maybe there’s a fear of personal and professional consequences due the stigma around mental illness and seeking care. But Proverbs reminds us, ‘in abundance of counselors there is victory.’ In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul says ‘I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ Consider the fruit of the Spirit; don’t those attributes sound like good mental health?
How counseling helps before a crisis:
To describe our difficult experiences, we use phrases like ‘I’m struggling with--,’ or ‘I’m really stuck,’ or ‘That’s just the way it is. We can choose the struggle, or we can become better equipped by asking for help. Recent studies and surveys say 3 out of 4 clients report improvements through counseling, with half noting significant reduction in symptoms in only 8 to 10 sessions. 7 of 10 couples report lasting benefits through counseling.
Seeing a counselor before a crisis can help us develop emotional awareness, learn coping skills, improve communications, set needed boundaries, identify stressors and prevent burnout, and increase our belief that we can change for the better. Counselors provide a safe, judgment-free place for people to be heard and accepted. Together, client and counselor seek to understand how past experiences may be impacting current situations; they see things in a new light and apply effective strategies. Spiritual growth may be integrated into the client’s treatment; in Romans 2, Paul reminds us that we are transformed by the renewal of our minds.
The role of Care Groups in ongoing wellness:
Group counseling is an effective option too. Groups may focus on specific troubles such as grief or depression care or offer education on topics like self-care or emotionally healthy relationships. Group settings create community, provide encouragement, and increase accountability, usually at little or no cost.
Wisdom, not weakness:
It has been said that ‘wisdom is knowing what you need to do and doing it.’ Some ask, ‘what is God showing you, and what are you going to do about it?’ He gives us emotions and relationships to inform us and refine us. Are you turning away from the hard things, or are you willing to turn toward them? Which choice reflects true strength? What is a wise next step for you, for your family, for your walk with Jesus?
Kessler, R. C., Berglund, P., Demler, O., Jin, R., Merikangas, K. R., & Walters, E. E. (2005). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of general psychiatry, 62(6), 593–602. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.593
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2025). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP25-07-007, NSDUH Series H-60). Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect/nsduh-national-surveydrug-use-and-health/national-relea…
