Mental Health Awareness Across The United States

Mental Health America (formerly known as the National Mental Health Association) is the country’s leading nonprofit dedicated to helping all people live mentally healthier lives. With more than 320 affiliate nationwide, we represent a growing movement of Americans who promote mental wellness for the health and well being of the nation, every day, and in a time of crisis (2007 Mental Health America). As an organization, Mental Health America has been around for nearly a century. We began work in 1909 when Clifford W. Beers, a young business man who struggled with a mental illness and shared his story with the world in his autobiography “A Mind

In the United States, suicide is the third leading cause of death for 10 to 14-year-olds (CDC, 2015) and for 15 to 19-year-olds (Friedman, 2008). In 2013, 17.0% of students grades 9 to 12 in the United States seriously thought about committing suicide, 13.6% made a suicide plan, 8.0% attempted suicide, and 2.7% attempted suicide in which required medical attention (CDC, 2015). These alarming statistics show that there is something wrong with the way mental illness is handled in today’s society. Also, approximately 21% of all teenagers have a treatable mental illness (Friedman, 2008), although 60% do not receive the help that they need (Horowitz, Ballard, & Pao, 2009).

According to NAMI, The National Alliance of Mental Illness 1 in 5 adults experience a mental health condition yearly. 1 in 20 people live with a serious mental illness like, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Not only does the person who is directly experiencing a mental illness suffer, but the family, and friends are also highly affected. NAMI states that 50% of mental health conditions begin by age 14 and 75% of mental illnesses develop by age 24. Each year, 1 in 5 children from the ages 13-18 experiences a mental illness reported by NAMI. That’s a large amount of our young generation. Three out of four people with a mental illness report that they have experienced stigma, a mark of disgrace that sets a person apart according to the

The topic of mental illness had become a recurring theme in my life during 2015. Health and wellness of the mind was a topic never brought up in my household during my childhood and well into my adolescence. My father always reminded me “Ashley, were black. We don't get depressed or anxious, we just face our problems head on because we’re naturally strong people.” Constantly hearing this gave me the false notion that mental

The shortage of aid for treating mental health disorders is often disregarded as inconsequential because of a lack of awareness surrounding the subject. Both the general public and policy makers seem blind to the prevalence of the problem, even though mental illness affects 1 in 5 Americans and costs the country an estimated $247 billion dollars annually (Blumenthal, 2015). The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015 was written to address mental health issues and the problems surrounding lack of awareness; it seeks to provide early intervention and treatment through symptom awareness training, removal of barriers to treatment, and expansion of knowledge on how to treat mental health illnesses. (“Alexander, Murray Introduce,” 2015).

Mental health is a fundamental aspect of our well-being as well as being a determining factor in obtaining a healthy lifestyle. However due to genetic, psychological, biological and environmental influences contributes to an imbalance of one’s mental health. Thus causing mental illnesses which include major shifts in mood, thinking and/or behavior. Because of the stigma that mentally ill people are “crazy and dangerous” results in discrimination among this community. What many failed to realize is the commonality of the diagnoses and how being label mentally ill can be beneficial. According to New York Daily, about 42 million American adults suffer from mental illnesses, enduring conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar

$1 billion is spent annually on medical costs associated with children and adolescents’ attempted and completed suicides, 90% of which are committed by mentally disordered individuals. Mental disorders also impose devastating costs on children’s social and emotional wellbeing by impacting the child’s ability to regulate impulses and emotions, understand feelings, develop empathy and confidence, form relationships, and communicate effectively. Children with unidentified mental disorders experience increased rates of involvement with the Juvenile Criminal Justice System. The National Alliance of Mental Health estimates that more 70% of incarcerated youth have at least one diagnosable mental disorder. Adolescents with mental disorders are also significantly more likely to make lower grades and to drop out of high school; 10% of high school dropouts may be attributable to untreated mental disorders.

Mental health is viewed one of the most predominant health problems in the United States.

The U.S. Department of health and human services exclaims that “Mental health includes emotions, psychological and social well-being of the body. These affect how everyone thinks, feels and acts” (Aspa). The U.S department of health and human services also states that “emotions and well-being of the body is an important stage of life from childhood to adolescence through adulthood”. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “43.8 million adults experience mental illness each year and nearly 10 million, or 1 in 25 adults, are living with a serious mental illness.” As a result, The American Psychiatric Association has identified and classified these mental illnesses into four categories; anxiety, mood disorders, bipolar disorders

With the issue that this particular demographic are closed to understanding psychological problems, the authors suggest the introduction of psycho-education and community awareness programmes on mental health and mental illness, to increase knowledge of psychological problems and subsequently reduce the associated stigma, thus leading to more openness to seeking treatment.

The World Health organization constructed the Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020 which aims to address the global mental health issues. The goal of this action plan is to “promote mental well-being, prevent mental disorders, provide care, enhance recovery, promote human rights and reduce the mortality, morbidity and disability for persons with mental disorders worldwide” (WHO, 2013). It has four objectives include 1strengthening leadership and governance, 2ensure comprehension, integrated and responsive mental health and social care service in community-based settings, 3to put in place techniques to promote and prevent in mental health, 4 strengthening surveillance, evidence and research for mental health (WHO, 2013).

“A state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”

Since last November, I’ve become very open about my depression, the stigma surrounding mental illness, and my journey surrounding my mental health in an attempt to

This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week and this year's theme is stigma. The Stigma-Free initiative encourages us to educate others about mental illness, to see the person and not the diagnosis, and to take action on mental health. Despite all the initiatives to reduce stigma, it continues to discourage and shame many from getting help.

When I think of mental health, I generally think about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; feeling safe, feeling loved, being productive/sense of accomplishment, having physiological wellness, and good self. Mental health is a state emotional wellness, which allows you to effectively cope with life stressors and is partly derived