Current statistics
Over the last ten years, the reports on mental health disorders have increased 13% in the US. Estimation states that more than one in five US adults live with a mental illness. Many different conditions are categorized as mental illnesses (including anxiety and depression, which are the most common mental illnesses to have) and range in severity from mild to moderate to severe depending on the person and situation. An estimated 22.8% of US adults in 2021 were living with AMI (any mental illness), nearing 51.8 million that were aged eighteen or older. Untreated mental illness could cause severe behavioral, physical, and emotional health problems and complications.
Seeking help
There are many available resources that could help with anyone seeking their mental health. Therapy could help improve a person’s mental and physical health. Therapy is proven to increase self-awareness, emotional regulation, and better symptom management. With mental health conditions, developing healthy coping mechanisms is imperative to be able to function better in life. But there are many other outlets for people struggling with mental illness. If there are signs of mental illness in you or someone you know, see a mental health professional or your primary care provider. A mental illness can only get worse over time if left untreated and could cause serious problems. The majority of mental illnesses won’t get better on their own so it is important to reach out to someone you trust to get help.
Signs of mental illness
Mental illness could affect anyone no matter how happy they seem. Other than feeling sad or down sometimes. Does someone you know have extreme highs and/or lows? Are they withdrawn from friends, family, and activities? Or even have decisive fears, worries, or even thoughts of suicide? If so, this person may have anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Many people have mental health concerns from time to time but when the ongoing symptoms and signs cause excessive stress, it affects a person’s ability to function and live, and could potentially end their life. This is why it is incredibly important to reach out to your loved ones when you notice the signs. Sometimes all they need is someone to sit down with them, listen to them, and show them that they are actually cared about, and that might only take five minutes out of your day. That five minutes can be the difference between life and death for them, and in the end, we would all rather spend five minutes checking up on someone than end up losing them.
Causes and Risks
There are numerous factors that could cause mental illness. A person’s general mental wellness depends on someone’s genetics, their upbringing, or environment. Mental illnesses could be hereditary and could impact brain function, including the aspects of social learning, as in how someone grew up, and how our brains process dopamine and serotonin. From early childhood to late adulthood, we accumulate life experiences, some good, and some bad, but all affect our mental health. When mental health isn’t taken seriously and goes untreated you could be risking your job, your home, alcoholism, and substance abuse, or even family conflict and disorganization. Mental illness could begin at any age in life and its effects could be very long-lasting or very temporary. Checkups should not be neglected and you should get help when you notice the symptoms.
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Sources
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness#part_2539