In light of new research from Special Olympics Health published in JAMA Network Open, Renee Dease, a longstanding member of the Special Olympics movement, sat down with Special Olympics Wisconsin athlete and Health Messenger, Heather Holland, to talk about mental health, stigma, and the power of community. Check out their conversation below.
This month, I spoke with Heather Holland about her mental health journey and why mental health is important to her. Heather has been an athlete since 2009 and enjoys participating in basketball, flag football, and weightlifting.
Over time as Heather’s confidence and leadership skills grew through participating in Special Olympics Athlete Leadership and being on the Athlete Leadership Council, she was encouraged to take classes to become a Special Olympics Health Messenger. Health Messengers are athletes who have been trained to serve as health and wellness leaders, educators, advocates, and role models within their Special Olympics communities.
Heather has been a Health Messenger since 2021 and a mental health advocate for 15 years. Her motivation to become a Health Messenger was to promote mental health through Special Olympics; and through this, she learned more about herself. When asked what mental health means to her, Heather shared, "Mental health is important to me; I deal with it every day. Sometimes it gets hard to figure out what I need to get back on track, but I find that getting extra sleep and taking breaks helps."
Heather lives with bipolar disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and she spoke openly about the challenges she faced in healthcare settings, including being misunderstood.
One of the most powerful parts of our conversation was when Heather talked about the role Special Olympics plays in her life. "Being in Special Olympics does help my mental health: I have a big support group, fellow athletes, coaches, case managers, Special Olympics Wisconsin staff and volunteers, and since my mother passed, everyone has been there for me. I really appreciate my Special Olympics family."
In our conversation, she explained how many people underestimate individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and how important it is for providers to listen to people with IDD.
Too often the needs of people with IDD are overlooked, leaving many unable to live their healthiest lives. New research from JAMA Network Open highlights significant mental health disparities and barriers faced by adults with IDD in the United States.
Compared to adults without functional limitations, adults with IDD are:
- More than nine times more likely to report a diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression.
- 18 times more likely to report symptoms of daily depression.
- Seven times more likely to take medication for anxiety.
- Nearly nine times more likely to take medication for depression; and
- More than five times more likely to report being unable to access needed therapy due to cost.
The study findings reveal critical gaps in care and the urgent need to improve access to mental health support. Special Olympics is working to close these gaps through Special Olympics Strong Minds.
Heather is an advocate and leader to her fellow athletes and encourages them to go to Strong Minds. Strong Minds, the mental health discipline of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes®, provides an interactive learning activity focused on developing adaptive coping skills for Special Olympics athletes and people with IDD. When Heather is stressed, she practices deep breathing, shares daily affirmations, and listens to music.
"Reach out, you don’t have to give advice, just being there. Just be that positive person, smile, and open the door. Give someone a hand when they fall on the athletic field. It makes you feel good and sharing with others can be the biggest part of life. Not to label yourself by your diagnosis, I live with it, and it does not define who I am!"
Visit JAMA Network Open to learn more about the study and its findings.
Subscribe to the Special Olympics Health Newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Health news and to check out Renee’s monthly conversations about timely health topics with Special Olympics athletes, Fitness Captains, and Health Messengers from around the world.