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I’m Melissa Wright from Omaha, where mental health inclusion is becoming more common, especially among minorities.
A woman who herself had mental health problems years ago says that while the awareness and resources available today are great, there is still much to be done.
Gaynelle Calloway began using drugs at the age of twelve, and by the age of 21 her addiction had progressed to crack cocaine.
“I didn’t even know what resources could help me stay sober. It never occurred to me that this might be something I would need to do,” Calloway said.
Calloway says she was sober for six years in her early twenties, but then relapsed because she didn’t have the resources she needed at the time.
“We don’t need that” … “There is no such thing as mental illness” … “You know, you just need to stop getting high” … “You just need to stop doing drugs” … and that’s just not the case, that’s not true. You know, most of us need help to really be able to sustain recovery … it’s virtually impossible to do it alone,” Calloway said.
Statistics show that there is a link between substance abuse and mental health and that in some cases substances are used as self-medication to cope with mental health problems.
“I would say I was close to being suicidal … I had no plan or anything, it was just the way I lived my life,” Calloway said.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 15% of all African Americans in Nebraska suffer from an anxiety disorder, and 13% of all African Americans and Hispanics are diagnosed with a depressive disorder.
Tori Cassidy of Heartland Family Services says these statistics are why her work with the community is so important.
“That’s why it’s so important for us to be proactive rather than reactive, because we know that being proactive saves lives,” Cassidy said.
Calloway has been sober for over a decade and works at Heartland Family Service in Omaha, an organization that works with the community in counseling, supportive services, education and advocacy.
“I help them connect with different resources in the community, I help them with crisis intervention… if they’ve used drugs or are just having a bad day. They can call me, my phone is always on,” Cassidy said.
Calloway tells me that staying sober and maintaining her mental health is a daily struggle, and the resources she has today are ones she didn’t have, which is why her work helping others is important.
