Psychology Facts

▼ Mental illness ▼

》Mental illness, also known as mental health disorders, encompasses a variety of conditions that impact mood, thinking, and behavior.

》Examples of mental illness include:
depression,
anxiety disorders,
schizophrenia,
eating disorders
and addictive behaviors.

》Mental illnesses can impact individuals regardless of age, race, religion, or income. These medical conditions disrupt a person's thinking, emotions, mood, relationships, and daily functioning.

》Many factors contribute to the development of a mental health condition, including life experiences (such as trauma or a history of abuse), biological factors, and a family history of mental illness.

》Mental illnesses encompass a wide range of conditions that vary in severity from mild to moderate to severe. These conditions can be broadly categorized into Any Mental Illness (AMI) and Serious Mental Illness (SMI). AMI includes all recognized mental illnesses, while SMI represents a more severe subset of AMI.

》Any Mental Illness (AMI) is defined as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder. The impact of AMI can range from no impairment to mild, moderate, or severe impairment (e.g., individuals with Serious Mental Illness as defined below).

》Serious Mental Illness (SMI) is defined as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that causes significant functional impairment, substantially interfering with or limiting one or more major life activities. The burden of mental illness is especially high among those who experience disability due to SMI.

》Statistics:

One in 5 American adults experienced a mental health condition in a given year

One in 20 Americans have lived with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression

One in 6 young people have experienced a major depressive episode

1/2 of all mental illnesses show early signs before a person turns 14 years old, and 3/4 of mental illnesses begin before age 24.

Youth depression rates have risen from 12.9% to 25.2% from pre-pandemic to 2021.

Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide.

The overall number of people reporting mental health problems has been going up in recent years. The amount of people with common mental health problems went up by 20% between 1993 to 2014, in both men and women

People reporting self-harm went up by 62% between the years 2000–2014 (that means it more than doubled)

People reporting having had suicidal thoughts within the past year went up by 30% between the years 2000–2014

Over a quarter (26%) of young women aged between 16–24 years old report having a common mental health problem in any given week. This compares to 17% of adults. And this number has been going up

》Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders. Approximately 40 million adults suffer from anxiety disorders including:
panic disorder,
obsessive-compulsive disorder,
post-traumatic stress disorder,
generalized anxiety disorder,
and phobias (social phobia, agoraphobia, and specific phobia).

》Approximately 1 percent of Americans are affected by schizophrenia. That equates to more than 3 million people, or roughly the population of the entire state of Nevada.

》Every disease requires treatment, and starting treatment as early as possible is generally beneficial. This is especially true for mental health challenges. One concerning mental health fact is that, on average, there is an 11-year gap in the United States between the onset of symptoms and receiving treatment. This statistic is often surprising to many people.

》In addition to medication, psychosocial treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, peer support groups, and other community services can be integral parts of a treatment plan and aid in recovery. Factors such as transportation, diet, exercise, sleep, friendships, and meaningful paid or volunteer activities also contribute to overall health and wellness, including the recovery from mental illness.

》With appropriate and effective medication, along with a range of services tailored to their needs, most people with serious mental illnesses can significantly reduce the impact of their conditions and achieve a satisfying level of independence and accomplishment.

If you're struggling with a mental illness just know that you're strong, you're resilient, and you're NOT ALONE. Please seek professional help and tell a trusted friend/family member. There is relief. There is a cure. I can personally attest to this.