Fight the Stigma During Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental health awareness in Orange County

May 2022 is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Radiant Health Centers is throwing our support behind this important movement. As a provider of LGBTQ+ counseling and mental health services in Orange County, we understand the challenges faced by the community. By working together to raise awareness and support those most in need, we can improve mental health outcomes for the future.

Mental Health Awareness Month in Orange County

Through our relationships with the Orange County LGBTQ+ community, the Radiant Health Centers team is acutely aware of the disproportionate impact of mental health issues. Studies repeatedly point to an increased risk of mental stress, and it can often lead to ongoing concerns such as substance abuse.

One survey found that LGBTQ+ adults were more than twice as likely to report mental health issues than heterosexual individuals in the same age group. Another study discovered that transgender people reported higher cases of depressive symptoms and suicide attempts. With such a disparity, access to mental health counseling for the LGBTQ+ community takes on an increasingly important role.

Why Is Mental Health Such an Issue in the LGBTQ+ Community?

During Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s important to look closely at the reasons for raised levels of mental health conditions affecting LGBTQ+ people. Some of these reasons include the following.

  • Discrimination at work or in healthcare – Experiences of discrimination can lead to unemployment and a reluctance to seek medical care.
  • Rejection from friends and family – As a response to a person’s sexual identity, relationships with friends and family can sometimes deteriorate.
  • Traumatic experiences – Many within the community face harassment, bullying, verbal abuse and physical intimidation.
  • Alcohol and drug abuse – Substance abuse for LGBTQ+ adults is higher than for the wider population, with mental health issues a contributing factor.
  • Lack of stable accommodation – Homelessness caused by discrimination, substance abuse or limited employment opportunities can reduce the opportunities to obtain a stable living environment.

Responding to the Mental Health Challenge

Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to shine a light on this issue across social media, blogs and other platforms. By openly discussing the mental health issues faced by many within the LGBTQ+ community, it is possible to reduce the stigma and encourage anyone in need to use the various social services available at clinics such as Radiant Health Centers.

Mental health is not a problem that exists in isolation. From a reluctance to seek STD or HIV testing due to fears of discrimination, to an increased possibility of turning to drug use, mental health is part of a wider problem. However, it’s only by spreading awareness that so many people can access the counseling that will lead to a brighter and more fulfilling life.

Mental Health Services for the Orange County LGBTQ+ Community

Radiant Health Centers provides mental health services and counseling from our Irvine medical clinic. Patients can access in-person or telehealth counseling services with our experienced and understanding team. For assistance, call (949) 809-5700 or request an appointment now.

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Get Tested & Know Your Status This Hepatitis Testing Day

Hepatitis Testing Day in Orange County

May 19, 2022 is Hepatitis Testing Day, and Irvine’s leading LGBTQ+ medical clinic, Radiant Health Centers, is joining the effort to raise awareness. After many years of providing hepatitis testing services to the Orange County community, Radiant Health Centers has seen the importance of early diagnosis of viral hepatitis. But with millions of Americans unknowingly living with hepatitis, getting tested is a key factor in ending this silent epidemic.

Raising Awareness for Hepatitis Testing Day

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, hepatitis C leads to more deaths across the country than any other reportable infectious disease. Hepatitis B is also a major cause of liver disease and liver cancer. However, safe and effective treatments are readily available – treatments that can potentially prevent long-term sickness or cure the disease. The key to ensuring healthy outcomes is through testing with providers such as Radiant Health Centers.

Is Hepatitis an STD?

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that’s usually caused by a viral infection. As hepatitis testing is often included with STD tests, it’s frequently assumed to be an STD. But in reality, hepatitis A, B and C are transmitted in many different ways that do not require sexual contact.

A bout of hepatitis A typically lasts for a couple of months, and is frequently caused by food and drink contaminated with fecal matter.

Hepatitis B is usually spread through blood and other bodily fluids. While this can include sexual contact, it is also commonly spread from a mother to child at birth, or by sharing needles.

Hepatitis C is caused when a person comes into contact with contaminated blood. Acquiring hepatitis c also often involves needle sharing or other methods of blood exposure.

Conversely, the various types of STDs are almost always caused by sexual contact, with viruses, bacteria or parasites passing from one individual to another.

Take Action on Hepatitis Testing Day

With an estimated 2.4 million Americans living with hepatitis C, raising awareness is a crucial way to save lives and protect the health of so many people. Hepatitis C is most dangerous when it goes undiagnosed. Hepatitis is a treatable disease – and in some cases it is also curable. With medical clinics like Radiant Health Centers offering accessible testing services, those most at risk can benefit from awareness and understanding their options.

This Hepatitis Testing Day, why not spread the message that knowing the risks and getting tested for viral hepatitis is the easiest way to end this national epidemic. By visiting our LGBTQ+ Orange County medical clinic for testing, you can play your part in the campaign to end viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.

Access HIV, STD and Hepatitis C Testing in Orange County

Radiant Health Centers provides HIV, STD and hepatitis C testing and treatment for the LGBTQ+ community in Orange County. If you need help with family planning, testing, treatment, mental health issues and more, contact our Irvine medical clinic at (949) 809-5700 or request an appointment today.

Image Credit – PENpics Studio/Shutterstock.com

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