They say that money can’t buy happiness and apparently, it also can’t buy good mental health. It is easy to look at handsome, beautiful, wealthy and fit celebrities gracing the covers of magazines and assume that their lives must just be sheer bliss. In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth. Not only do celebrities struggle with all of the same mental health issues as everyone else, but in many cases, their issues are actually exacerbated by their very celebrity itself.
To begin with, the intense scrutiny that celebrities are often placed under gives them very little ability to have any type of private life. Another is the necessity of literally presenting a picture perfect image. Celebrities are a brand in and of themselves, and their very lives have to promote their brand. Individuals that struggle with depression frequently cannot make it out of bed, let alone bathe or groom themselves, let alone go through the rigorous regimen that the public spotlight demands. Therefore, instead of being able to be honest about their struggles, they often have to hide them away in shame, which only further complicates and exacerbates the issue.
Another complication that celebrity brings is never knowing who your friends really are or why (or even if) they genuinely like you. A celebrity merely wearing a certain article of clothing or driving a certain car can significantly increase sales. An aspiring actor or actress merely being seen in the company of a famous celebrity can significantly boost their own career. If everyone has something to gain personally by merely being seen in your presence, it can make you start to constantly question the motivations of everyone around you. It can make celebrities feel as if they are nothing more than a commodity, rather than an actual, genuine, legitimate human being.
Over time, this outlook can drive a wedge between a celebrity and every significant person in their lives. This, in turn, can have a seriously detrimental impact on their mental health and well-being. This is only further exacerbated by the fact that the non-stop glare of the spotlight often makes it difficult if not impossible to seek treatment without the entire world knowing about it. For a non-celebrity, people knowing about a mental health issue they struggle with can be embarrassing. For a celebrity, it can be a career ender.
This article was originally published on HerrickLiptonnhcc.com
Published by Herrick Lipton | New York City
Herrick Lipton, the CEO of New Horizon Counseling Center, believes that behavioral health is the focal point of healthcare. Ensuring emotional and mental stability is not only vitally important in its own merit, but it also keeps people from neglecting or abusing their physical health. Providing tools for behavioral health means providing the foundation for a long, healthy life.
Ever since Herrick Lipton got involved in NHCC as a teenager, he has focused on not only removing the stigmas surrounding behavioral healthcare, but improving options and ease of access for thousands of clients every year. Herrick was the administrative and financial director of NHCC for many years and has always made it his mission to listen to the needs of his local community. For example, in August of 2014, Herrick worked with local government officials to strategically approach the opening of Howard Beach Outpatient Clinic: what would improve its outreach and overall status as a local resource? The answer was all in the location. Moving out of a nondescript building into an accessible storefront model helped remove the clinic’s stigma and make its purpose more clear to people who might need it.
Herrick Lipton works within numerous aspects of behavioral health through his role at NHCC, including developmental disabilities, Alzheimer’s and elder care, alcohol and substance abuse, and mental illnesses in children, adolescents, and adults. One of his first realizations after becoming CEO of NHCC was the need for diversification; every behavioral health issue has its own unique set of needs, so every issue should have its own targeted program. That’s why Herrick works on not only revamping existing programs, but creating new ones that more directly help patients.
As we move toward integrated healthcare delivery systems across the board, Herrick is working to make behavioral healthcare a key component. From better outreach (NHCC has grown from 800 to 6,000 clients under Herrick’s watch) to simply encouraging people to take the first step, Herrick Lipton is constantly trying to share education and awareness about the importance of behavioral healthcare.
Herrick has managed to make NHCC thrive in a time where many behavioral health organizations unfortunately fold under mismanagement or lack of funding. His executive direction has resulted in license renewals, massive grants, and governmental citations, all of which point to a bright future not just for NHCC, but for thousands of patients in the New York area.
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