What price serenity?

Seven years ago, I co-authored a book about keeping your job while dealing with depression. At the time, I wrote, the main barrier preventing people from seeking professional help with mental health issues was the fear of being stigmatized — the fear that they’d be perceived as incompetent, unreliable, or even dangerous in the workplace.

How things have changed. According to a recent government survey, as cited in a useful article in today’s New York Times, the leading reason people avoid mental health care today is fear of the cost. They don’t know how they’ll pay for it, so they don’t get the help they need.

Prioritizing mental health is not an insignificant expense. I’ve spent a lot on mine over the years, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t sometimes wish I’d had the option of investing that money in something other than the continued smooth operation of my synapses. That being said, I don’t regret it. The ROI is fantastic — not a single yoga class, workshop, massage appointment, or occasional experiment in brain chemistry has been money poorly spent. If I had to eat ramen every day to make room in my budget for a good therapist, I’d do it willingly.

I realize that not everyone can afford to make even that choice. There are low-cost options out there, but not enough. Not nearly enough.

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