May is Mental Health Awareness Month
CHI Health psychiatrist Dr. Nargis Sadat explains why seeking treatment sooner rather than later delivers better outcomes
AGAIN. ANOTHER GLOOMY, GLOOMY LOOK OUT THERE. WELL, MAY MARKS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH AND DOCTORS AND PROVIDERS USE IT AS A TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH GETS THE ATTENTION IT NEEDS. HERE WITH ME IS DOCTOR NARGIS SAADAT, A PSYCHIATRIST WITH C-H-I HEALTH. DOCTOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT’S AN HONOR TO BE HERE. THAT’S AMAZING. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH? ESPECIALLY DURING THE MONTH OF MAY? SO THE MESSAGE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CONVEY TO THE VIEWERS TODAY IS THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND IT DOES CHANGE OVER TIME. STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT WEAKNESS. IT JUST MEANS THAT YOU’RE HUMAN AND THERE’S HELP AVAILABLE. THE SOONER YOU SEEK SUPPORT, THE BETTER THE OUTCOMES TEND TO BE. BUT HOWEVER, THERE IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO ASK FOR HELP. WHAT ARE SOME SIGNS THAT IT MIGHT BE TIME TO ASK FOR HELP AND SEEK PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT? THERE’S NOT ONE BIG SIGN TO WATCH OUT FOR, HOWEVER. IT’S A PATTERN OF SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS THAT YOU NOTICE OVER TIME. ANY CHANGES IN SLEEP, YOUR APPETITE, YOUR INTEREST LEVEL, MOTIVATION, ENERGY AND IF YOU NOTICE THAT YOU’RE ISOLATING FROM YOUR LOVED ONES OR YOU’RE USING SUBSTANCES TO COPE, TO BE ABLE TO FUNCTION FROM DAY TO DAY. THOSE ARE PRETTY GOOD INDICATORS THAT IT’S TIME TO ASK FOR HELP. AGAIN, YOU KNOW YOURSELF BETTER THAN ANYONE. SO IF YOU NOTICE THAT YOU’RE JUST NOT FUNCTIONING AT YOUR NORMAL BASELINE, IT’S GOOD TO ALWAYS ASK. AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE IN CRISIS TO SEEK HELP. SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT ARE SOME COMMON MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT YOU SEE IN YOUR PRACTICE? YES, WE HAVE MANY. AND THE SEVERITY CAN DIFFER. IT CAN VARY. BUT DEPRESSION, BIPOLAR DISORDER, ANXIETY, SCHIZOPHRENIA, SCHIZOAFFECTIVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. WHY DO YOU THINK SO MANY DISORDERS GO UNDIAGNOSED OR MISDIAGNOSED? I THINK PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP. THERE’S THAT STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL HEALTH, AND IT’S, YOU KNOW, THEY FEEL THAT THEY MIGHT BE SEEN AS WEAK, BUT IT’S A SIGN OF STRENGTH. IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO ASK FOR HELP. WHAT DOES CARE LOOK LIKE WHEN SOMEONE DECIDES TO SEEK IT OUT? THE FIRST STEP WOULD BE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION THAT’S COMPASSIONATE, NON-JUDGMENTAL. DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE SYMPTOMS AND THE SIGNS, DIFFERENT TREATMENT APPROACHES CAN BE PROVIDED. IT CAN VARY FROM THERAPY TO MEDICATIONS. SOME MAY NEED THE COMBINATION OF BOTH OTHERS. IN CASES WHERE YOU NEED MORE INTENSIVE OR STRUCTURED TREATMENT, PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION OR INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATION ARE OPTIONS. DOCTOR SAADAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. THIS IS SU
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
CHI Health psychiatrist Dr. Nargis Sadat explains why seeking treatment sooner rather than later delivers better outcomes
Updated: 5:04 PM CDT May 18, 2026
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s a time for doctors and providers to make sure our emotional and psychological health gets the attention it needs. CHI Health psychiatrist Dr. Nargis Sadat sat down with KETV Newswatch 7’s Quanecia Fraser to discuss the importance of mental health support.”Mental health is just as important as physical health,” said Dr. Sadat.She says the sooner you seek support, the better the outcomes tend to be. And that it’s never too late to ask for help. “Struggling with mental health is not a weakness, it just means that you’re human,” she added.Dr. Sadat says if you’re experiencing any changes in sleep, appetite, interest level, motivation, and energy, you should seek help. Another sign you should see someone is if you are isolating from your loved ones, and if you’re using substances to cope day to day.If you or someone you know is suffering from a mental health crisis, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for immediate support.
OMAHA, Neb. —
May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
It’s a time for doctors and providers to make sure our emotional and psychological health gets the attention it needs.
CHI Health psychiatrist Dr. Nargis Sadat sat down with KETV Newswatch 7’s Quanecia Fraser to discuss the importance of mental health support.
“Mental health is just as important as physical health,” said Dr. Sadat.
She says the sooner you seek support, the better the outcomes tend to be. And that it’s never too late to ask for help.
“Struggling with mental health is not a weakness, it just means that you’re human,” she added.
Dr. Sadat says if you’re experiencing any changes in sleep, appetite, interest level, motivation, and energy, you should seek help.
Another sign you should see someone is if you are isolating from your loved ones, and if you’re using substances to cope day to day.
If you or someone you know is suffering from a mental health crisis, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for immediate support.