Regence medical experts share tips and resources to improve mental well-being

By Regence
May 27, 2021
KATU Regence Experts

‘Ask the Expert’ campaign, hosted by KATU, casts a spotlight on mental health

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Regence recently partnered with local ABC-affiliate KATU to shed light on this important care need, as part of the station’s ‘Ask the Expert’ campaign.

On Wed., May 26, our experts—Dr. Hossam Mahmoud, Dr. Jim Polo and Fayth Dickenson—offered actionable tips for improving mental well-being and connecting to care. If you didn’t have a chance to tune in live, catch up on the segments below.  

How to differentiate between a ‘bad day’ versus a more serious decline in mental health 

Dr. Hossam Mahmoud KATU

Expert: Dr. Hossam Mahmoud, Behavioral Health Medical Director

“Ups and downs are expected in some degree. But if one finds that these feelings are lingering or it’s starting to affect one’s ability to work, go to school, or enjoy life with family and friends, it might be time to seek help.”

Watch the full segment here.

Importance of focusing on mental health, now

Dr. Jim Polo KATU

Expert: Dr. Jim Polo, Executive Medical Director

“We’ve been through a tremendously difficult year. This is a good time to talk about mental health because there is a lot of stigma still tied to it.”

Watch the full segment here.

Importance of Mental Health First Aid training

Fayth Dickenson KATU

Expert: Fayth Dickenson, Behavioral Health Clinical Program Consultant

“Just like CPR gives us basic medical skills to use in an emergency, Mental Health First Aid is designed to do the same and arm us with knowledge for anyone at any skill level that we need to help somebody who’s experiencing a mental health issue.”

Watch the full segment here.

Addressing mental health stigma

Dr. Hossam Mahmoud KATU 2

Expert: Dr. Hossam Mahmoud, Behavioral Health Medical Director

“We’ve come a long way in talking about mental health, but negative attitudes toward mental illness and people living with mental illness continue to persist. This is usually due to lack of understanding or fear.”

Watch the full segment here.

Supporting mental health for older adults

Dr. Jim Polo KATU 2

Expert: Dr. Jim Polo, Executive Medical Director

“For older adults, it’s almost been like a double pandemic, due to the isolation of being socially distant, putting them at greater risk for developing anxiety, stress and depression.”

Watch the full segment here.

Access mental health support and resources when you need them

Regence is proud to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month in May and the importance of bringing light to mental health, breaking down stigma and improving the well-being of our communities.

Whether you need occasional emotional support or ongoing mental health care, Regence has a variety of programs to prevent, identify and treat mental health and substance use disorders. Regence members who want to understand what is available under their health plan can log into their account on regence.com, or call us for help finding the right behavioral health resources.

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