It’s Time For…
2018 Mental Health Facts
- 20-25% of Americans have a diagnosable mental and/or substance use disorder in
any given year. - Only 40% of individuals with mental and/or substance use disorders get treatment.
Of those who get treatment, less than 1/3 get minimally adequate care. - Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States.
Rising rates of suicide and opioid abuse are driving a shocking increase in the death
rate of working age Americans. - 5-6% of American adults have a serious mental illness; about 2% have disorders that are long-term and disabling, contributing to very high rates of unemployment and poor living conditions.
- 30-40% of homeless adults and 15-20% of people in jails and prisons in the United
States have a serious mental illness. This is often accompanied by substance abuse
problems in both these populations. - As many as 10% of child As many as 10% of children have a serious emotional disturbance, contributing to school failure and other serious problems.
- As the number of older adults doubles over the next two decades so will the
number of older adults with mental disorders. - This includes 5.5 million older adults who currently have Alzheimer’s disorder or other dementia.
- Without advances in prevention, this will rise to 11 million older adults with dementia by 2050.
- There will also be massive growth of minority populations, and the mental health
system already has a tremendous shortage of culturally competent personnel. - Mental and substance use disorders cost hundreds of billions of dollars per year
for: (1) treatment of these conditions, (2) treatment of related health conditions
often made more severe, more disabling, and more expensive by behavioral
health disorders, (3) government funding of various welfare benefits to support
people diagnosed with mental and substance use disorders, (4) criminal justice
activities, and (5) lost productivity due to inability to work. - Treatment works. There are effective, evidence-based and state-of-the-art
interventions that can improve the quality of life of individuals. - Funding mental health services and translating research findings into practice is
a worthwhile investment that improves the lives of individuals and their families
and reduces overall costs to the healthcare system.
© 2018 MHA – NYC. All Rights Reserved
I will be posting something important about mental illness every day throughout the month of May on my blog in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Please keep visiting my blog My Loud Bipolar Whispers and look for statistics or other beneficial information related to mental illness to increase awareness, educate, reduce mental illness stigma and prevent suicides.
It is crucial and imperative for all of us to get involved and save lives.
So, please visit my blog every day, but especially every day throughout the month of May.
Mental illness awareness and education can save lives.
Opening the dialogue about mental illness can save lives.
Sharing your story can save lives.
Please see my post about my new campaign titled, “There’s Glory in Sharing Your Story.” I need your help and hope you will be interested in participating in my new campaign. Thank you for checking it out.
Much love and many blessings. Hugs, Sue
Copyright © 2018 | myloudbipolarwhispers.com | All Rights Reserved
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