Facing Mental Health Challenges Doesn't Make You Weak

Floor Speech

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Ms. BALINT. Mr. Speaker, tonight, my colleagues and I are here on the floor of the U.S. Congress to talk about the mental health crisis we are seeing across the country in each of our congressional districts.

I know this issue can be incredibly hard for many people to talk about. It is personal. It is complex. Many Americans don't feel comfortable talking about it because they fear the reaction from their friends, their families, or coworkers. But seeking mental health treatment is not a sign of weakness; it means you are human.

The body does not stop at the neck and mental health care is healthcare. Period.

All of us here tonight are fighting for a future in which anyone who wants mental health care gets it when we finally end the unequal treatment of mental health.

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Ms. BALINT. Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of a nationwide mental health crisis, and it is critically important for all of us in positions of power to do the work of passing legislation and funding programs that will meet the needs of our constituents.

It is also important that we use our positions to help create opportunities for connections in our communities right now because we have a crisis of loneliness and disconnection in our Nation.

It has become such an urgent issue that our U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, has unveiled a new framework and strategy to address this national crisis of loneliness. Murthy has said that social connections must be a top priority in terms of public health. He believes, as I do, that the epidemic of loneliness and isolation has fueled other problems in our society that are making us very sick.

His research shows that about one in every two Americans is experiencing loneliness at any given time. It is shocking. It isn't just emotionally uncomfortable to be lonely; it also has real consequences for our health. It can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, heart disease, stroke, and data indicates that the risk of a premature death due to loneliness is even comparable to the risk associated with being a daily smoker.

This rampant disconnection and loneliness also fuels anger and distrust, and it adds to the disconnection that many Americans experience.

The science is clear and compelling. Research has found that our need for connection may be as fundamental as our need for food and water. Many studies over the past decade have come to the same conclusion: Social connectedness generates a positive feedback loop of social, emotional, and actually physical well-being.

People who feel more connected to others show lower levels of anxiety and depression and greater empathy for others. They also tend to be more cooperative and trusting. Further, a lack of social connection can have a range of negative effects.

One study of 7,000 Americans of different ages, genders, and health found that people who were disconnected from others were roughly three times more likely to die over that 9-year study than people with strong social ties. Surprisingly, regardless of demographics, people who had unhealthy lifestyles, but close social ties lived longer than those with healthy living habits but poor social connections.

Not only are relationships fundamental to our health and happiness, but research shows that they may even shape how our brains work to make decisions. We must craft policy and make investments to address our national mental health crisis.

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Ms. BALINT. Tokuda).
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Ms. BALINT. Mr. Speaker, we have heard from Members from many different parts of the country, from Vermont to Michigan to California to Hawaii. As I said before, we must prioritize human connection and healthy relationships, and we have to craft policy and make bold investments to address our national mental health crisis.

The percentage of U.S. adults who report having been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lifetimes has reached nearly 30 percent. This is almost a 10 percentage point increase since 2015. The percentage of Americans who currently have or are being treated for depression has also increased to almost 18 percent. These rates are the highest recorded by Gallup polling since it began measuring depression using the current form of data collection in 2015.

It is impacting all of us, but I am particularly concerned about the toll it is having on our kids and teens. Thirty years ago, the greatest health threats to teenagers came from binge drinking, drunk driving, teen pregnancy, and smoking. These have all fallen sharply since then, but they have been surpassed by soaring rates of mental health disorders.

In a little over a decade, the number of adolescents reporting depression has increased by 60 percent. Emergency room visits by adolescents are up as parents seek help for their teens who are struggling with anxiety, depression, and self-harm. Suicide rates among adolescents are up sharply, as well.

The public health crisis has intensified since the pandemic, but it didn't cause it. We have seen a steady increase over the past 20 years. Young people now are getting less sleep, less exercise, and less in- person time with friends, all crucial for physical and mental health. Adolescent brains are being exposed to a huge wave of incoming stimulation via social media and technology.

Teens in my district have told me they feel anxious, disconnected, and depressed. Many fear that their constant use of cell phones and social media is impacting their mental health.

We have important work to do, all of us. Every single congressional district is experiencing this. My work on mental health will be a cornerstone of the work that I do in Congress.

I am working toward a future in which anyone who wants mental health care gets it and when we finally end the unequal treatment of mental health and addiction.

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