Recently I saw the hashtag #MHM hitting the internet, standing for Mental Health Matters. Ohio State University students wrote messages related to mental health, took pictures and used social media to bolster their message that, yes, mental health matters. As an advocate for mental health, I was thrilled to see that people, especially young people, are starting the conversation about mental health reform in America. For those that believe that mental health isn't important, here are a small fraction of statistics taken from National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):
Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. -- 43.8 million, or 18.5 percent -- experiences mental illness in a given year.
The Prevalence:
-1.1 percent of adults in the U.S. live with schizophrenia.
-2.6 percent of adults in the U.S. live with bipolar disorder.
-6.9 percent of adults in the U.S.—16 million—had at least one major depressive episode in the past year.
-18.1 percent of adults in the U.S. experienced an anxiety disorder such as post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and specific phobias.
The Social Impact:
-An estimated 26 percent of homeless adults staying in shelters live with serious mental illness and an estimated 46 percent live with severe mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
-70 percent of youth in juvenile justice systems have at least one mental health condition and at least 20 percent live with a serious mental illness.
-Half of all chronic mental illness begins by age 14; three-quarters by age 24. Despite effective treatment, there are long delays -- sometimes decades -- between the first appearance of symptoms and when people get help.
Consequences of Lack of Treatment:
-Serious mental illness costs America $193.2 billion in lost earnings per year.
- Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., the 3rd leading cause of death for people aged 10–24 and the 2nd leading cause of death for people aged 15–24.
-More than 90 percent of children who die by suicide have a mental health condition.
-Each day an estimated 18-22 veterans die by suicide.
I work and study within the mental health field every day, and more often than not, I encounter those who are uneducated about mental illness. I notice people who buy into stigmas and question how I am able to work with "those people." Once I get past the point of being offended, I realize that it is an additional responsibility of mine to educate people on mental health. The statistics only scratch the surface of what is a huge, gapping hole in our country's health care system. The chances are that we all know a family, friend, or even ourselves effected by mental illness. And living in one of the most advanced countries in the world, mental health assistance shouldn't be a burden or struggle to obtain. By aiding in mental health, we can tackle other national issues, such as lowering incarceration numbers and prevention of military suicides.
Take the pledge with me. #MHM
