May is Mental Health Awareness Month
More work needs to be done to destigmatize and provide equitable resources for mental illness
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Data from 2020 demonstrates that mental illnesses are more prevalent than is perceived as approximately 21% of American adults live with mental illness which is 1 in 5 and 1 in 20 lives with a serious mental illness.
Unfortunately, serious mental illness is also linked to death by suicide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-34 year olds, and is the 10th leading cause of death among all people. 78% of people who die by suicide are men. Lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are four times more likely to be suicidal compared to straight youth. Additionally, transgender people are 12x more likely to be suicidal.
Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental illness, affecting 19.1% of American adults. Although anxiety disorders are treatable, only 36.9% are in treatment. People with anxiety disorders are also likely to live with depression as well.
Mental illnesses are still heavily stigmatized. Studies have found that stigma damages the welfare of the people living with mental illness in terms of life satisfaction, and even discrimination in getting a job or a house and, as well, decrease the willingness to get help and get treated. People living with mental illnesses are also likely to not get provided the appropriate health care and stigma also decreases the willingness to get treated.
People living with mental illness are at risk for other medical conditions. They are more likely to develop substance use disorders and dependence on tobacco, unhealthy lifestyle habits, and increased risk for chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and stroke.
Access to healthcare is essential to treatment of mental illness, but there are a lot of barriers. The most common are:
Low socioeconomic status: low income people are not able to afford therapy sessions and psychiatric appointments, thus more accessible and affordable healthcare is needed. In addition, many of these individuals do not have the resources to either travel to appointments or have the digital resources for things like telehealth.
Lack of mental health professionals: in the US there is a shortage of healthcare providers especially in rural areas. In more urban areas, the lack of mental health professionals leads to long waiting lists. This compounds the issue of accessing healthcare; as people with mental illness tend not to get help, additional barriers such will detriment even further the motivation to get treated.
Mental health education and awareness: mental illness symptoms are difficult to acknowledge and are often overlooked and thought to be not important. People with mental illness often dismiss their symptoms as being just lazy, tired, etc. Stigma also does not help and people around the person can dismiss their symptoms as well. Therefore, mental health education and awareness is of utmost importance. If you see a loved one showing symptoms, help them get the help they need, a good support system is beneficial.
Stigma: as mentioned earlier, stigma associated with mental illness prevents access to care. There is a fear, as well, of being perceived as weak or less by their peers or family.
Racial barriers: studies have found that POC are less likely to get treatment for their mental health. More than that, lack of POC mental health professionals also contributes, as people are more likely to receive help if the mental health professional understands their background and cultural experiences.
Ultimately, living with mental illness is common. Awareness and education can help tremendously and breaking barriers will effectively improve providing healthcare to people with mental illness. Better access, coverage, and equity are essential for a good healthcare system especially in the sector of mental illness.
Some helpful resources are below in case you need:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255); En español 1-888-628-9454
Crisis Text Line
Text “HELLO” to 741741
Additional contributors:
Francisca Afonso
Can you comment on prevalence of mental illness in US compared to other comparable countries?