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Your Healthy Family: Importance of getting professional mental health help

Posted at 9:31 AM, Jun 28, 2022
and last updated 2022-06-28 09:31:53-04

If you're dealing with depression or anxiety, there are things you can do to help yourself. But a recent survey found more than half of women waited more than a year to get help or never did, even when they reached a breaking point.

For years, Ansley Fancher said she struggled with stress and anxiety.

"It got to the point where it was affecting my ability to just stay focused in school. And so I asked my mom if she could help me get treated for my anxiety," she said.

Her mom, BJ, is a Family Psychiatry Clinician, and knows the signs of mental health struggles that go beyond regular stress.

"When you can't shake it off anymore, when you feel stuck, that's when you know that you need some help," Dr. Fancher said.

The stress faced by women in particular is common. A new survey by the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor found two thirds of women with depression or anxiety say they're reaching a breaking point with their mental health. The survey found more than half of women diagnosed with anxiety or depression waited at least a year before seeking treatment or never did.

Experts stress that these conditions worsen over time, and can drastically impact daily life if left untreated.

"It is critical to receive treatment for mental health because we know that mental health conditions are highly comorbid with other physical diseases, such as cancer, stroke, heart disease," Dr. Rachael Earls, a Senior Medical Science Liaison for Myriad Genetics, said.

Six in ten women diagnosed with depression or anxiety say taking a prescription medication was most helpful in treating their symptoms.