America's Mental Health Crisis with Dr. Eric Williams

In this episode Dr. Sharon hosts Dr. Eric Williams, Associate Dean of Student Affairs at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, to discuss the mental health crisis in America. Dr. Williams provides insights into the increasing demand for mental health services amidst limited resources, the impact of recent tragic events and social media on mental health, and the rising rates of mental health disorders. This conversation highlights the necessity for coping skills education, the role of stigma, and the barriers to accessing mental health care, especially for vulnerable groups like youth, communities of color, and Veterans. They emphasize the importance of recognizing small changes in behavior as potential red flags and encourage seeking help proactively.

Eric Williams is the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Career Advising at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia. In addition, he works with the Prisma Health Midlands ACT team. He earned his medical degree from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and completed his general residency and child and adolescent fellowship with the Palmetto Health Alliance/University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Eric worked in an academic setting, an inpatient setting, in juvenile justice, college student mental health, and as a traveling psychiatrist prior to his current positions. His after-hours job is as a group exercise instructor at One Life Fitness.