These days many people are trying to be more aware about mental illnesses and how it affects people's lives. However, many people also judge a mental illness to be seen as a "Whatever, get over it" illness and that should not be the case. It saddens me that an illness has to be physical for people to pay more attention and that should not be the case either. Mental illness is a real thing and needs to be taken seriously.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (an agency in the United States Department of Health and Human Services that takes effort to advance health for the mentally ill, https://www.samhsa.gov/about-us) found that 18.2% of adult Americans suffer from a mental illness. That is one in every five Americans. Many people, even doctors do not even take mental illnesses seriously. Why is this? Some patients feel neglected about their illness and there is just too much "Mental illness" to go around. It is hard to figure out if a person actually has a mental illness when some may actually not since many people claim they have one. In 2016 according to Health Affairs (leading journal of health policy thought and research) an abundant of doctors know little when it comes to treating mental health such as depression (http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/35/3/394...). Perhaps not knowing the skills on how to handle a mental illness makes doctors less inclined to help patients suffering from one.

According to Mental Health America (the nation's leading community-based nonprofit who addresses needs of individuals with mental illnesses), their has been more access to mental health services such as therapy but some do not obtain it due to low work jobs in such areas and high costs (http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/state-me...). So there is help available but many individuals may not be able to obtain it, which is a problem.

It has become such a cultural thing where a lot of people will say they have a mental illness when they really do not, making it hard to help the ones that actually have one. For example it is usually common to have anxiety about a test but does not necessarily make you have an anxiety disorder. That is a common natural thing as opposed to where someone who consistently agonizes over an upcoming test, which is a serious issue.

I myself have a mental Illness (which I will not reveal) and it is torturous but manageable. When you have a mental illness you feel that your world is crashing down on you. Friends have left me because of my illness. A mental illness can also affect you in the workplace. Luckily I am learning to take control of it. A mental illness does not make you different from any other ordinary person, but it does affect so many aspects of your life that includes sleeping, staying focused, and just trying to go out and have fun. People do not understand what it is like to want to be "normal" and fit in but you can not because your mental illness takes over. People do not seem to quite get that a mental illness can truly affect your entire life. You just want individuals to understand, but they just do not.

If you have a mental illness, their is help. You need to have a great support system. Friends will come and go because of your illness when it is not your fault. It is the true ones that stay to help you battle it, which are the ones you need to hold on to. Their are medications and therapy. Talking to someone to help you cope with the illness can take months to years but will help you balance your life. Medications are of course different for everyone. Some may find them helpful some may not, just like therapy. Lastly, it is up to you to face your mental illness and accept it to better yourself.

To anyone suffering from a mental illness, you are not alone. And to others in the world, please take time to reach out and help those suffering. It helps.