Mental Health

We want to help our members feel their best.

Sometimes, though, you or a loved one may experience some of the following feelings or issues:1

  • Always feeling sad.
  • Not wanting to do things you used to enjoy.
  • Having trouble sleeping.
  • Not feeling like eating.
  • Seeing weight loss or weight gain and you don’t know why.
  • Having difficulty concentrating.
  • Feeling stressed or irritable all the time.
  • Having constant pain like headaches, stomachaches, or back aches.
  • Having issues with alcohol or drug abuse.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in four adults in this country experiences a mental illness each year. Only 17% of Americans ages 18 and older are estimated to have “optimal” mental health.2

We can have more than one mental health diagnosis at the same time. We can also have a mental health diagnosis and another serious medical condition at the same time, such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease. 

If you are concerned about any of the above, as a First Choice member, you are able to access a wide range of behavioral health services. To learn more about behavioral health and other plan benefits, contact Member Services at 1-888-276-2020. If you need help or have specific questions about behavioral health, talk to your primary care provider (PCP) or mental health provider.

What can you do?

Practice healthy behaviors that help your mood, like getting the sleep you need and exercising.3

Sources

  1. “Mental Illness,” Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968.
  2. “Mental Health,” HealthyPeople.gov, https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/leading-health-indicators/2020-lhi-topics/Mental-Health/determinants.
  3. “Mental Health,” MedlinePlus, https://medlineplus.gov/mentalhealth.html.