Mental Health Myths

Approximately one out of every four Americans suffers from some form of mental disorder in a given year. About 3.5 million Americans suffer from severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia and manic-depressive illness. At least 40 percent of mentally ill people do not seek help or are not being treated, while many wander the streets homeless (Kornblum).

When looking at the British society, mental health disorders are actually extremely common. When viewing the National Statistics, it stated that about one in six adults will have a mental health problem. Leading to an additional study, stating that around 30 individuals out of every 100 will

An estimated one in six U.S. adults lives with a mental illness (44.7 million in 2016), according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, 2018), so how does this affect them? By enacting this law, co-payments, treatment caps and deductibles cannot cost more for people with mental illness than those with a physical illness.

According to Chamberlin, in the past society deemed mental disorders for the “feeble-minded” and effectively scared them into exclusion (254). This made acquiring treatment difficult for the mentally ill. For example, in 2008, 10 million Americans did not receive the proper mental health care that was needed (260). If mental illness is left untreated, it could possibly be attributed to such life difficulties as unproductiveness at school, meager employment rates, poverty, and even imprisonment (254). Furthermore, psychological disorders are more common than people may think. According to Chamberlin, one out of every two Americans has a possibility of having a psychological disorder during their lives (253). Additionally, one out every five American adults is diagnosed yearly with a mental disorder (Marsh 1011). In short, not all mental illnesses are dangerous, and they should not be isolated from the world.

Mental health is among the most common ailments that affects millions of people around the globe. According to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental

Ironically, mental health tends to be glamorized in society. Merchandise and social media, portray mental illness in such a negative way that it becomes a mockery. Creating apparel and jokes that say cruel things such as: “My goal in life is to have a psychiatric disorder named after me.” This is not only insensitive, but also creates a level of fear. People with mental disorders are often terrified of speaking out in fear of being judged, labeled, or abandoned. The National Alliance on Mental Illness also shows statistics that seventy percent of college students alone that dropped out, dropped out due to a mental illness. Of that seventy percent, fifty percent were too scared to admit they needed help. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration states that by the year 2013, over forty-three million people had some form of mental illness. Which means that one in four people suffer. Yet the stereotype remains that people with mental illness are viewed as: dangerous, aggressive, dirty, unpredictable, and worthless. While some of these conditions may be symptoms, it does not automatically classify them as inadequate people. All too frequently, people in crisis who are brave enough to seek help are turned away due to lack of space in psychiatric hospitals. The stigma and lack of funds towards the development of effective treatment of mental illness has resulted in the reliance on the criminal justice system and nursing homes for further support, and have steadily become the largest sources for psychiatric care. In 2014 one hundred twenty-five thousand people of various ages were sent to nursing homes to receive care. The National Alliance on Mental Illness stated that approximately two million people end up in jails yearly, which is ten times more than state psychiatric hospitals. This method is expensive,

Justification: “The answer, based on the prevalence of mental illness globally, is stunning: 8 million people die each year due to mental illness. That is, 8 million deaths could be averted if people with mental illness were to die at the same rate as the general population.” (NIMH)

One may think, “What?? No, I am perfectly normal and I don’t need treatment”. Sure, one can think that, but how about this statistic: 1 in 5 adults experience a mental health condition every year and 1 in 5 of teenagers experiences a severe mental disorder. (National Alliance on Mental Illness).

Mental illness is a widespread problem across the globe. While it affects every one in four people, media such as the newspaper and televised news tends to ignore the topic. Many people never see help because they have a fear of being judged or denied help. There are over one hundred different types of mental illnesses, the most commonly widespread one being depression affecting over three million cases each year.

The recent 2007 National Survey of Mental health highlighted anxiety disorders as the most prevalent (evident on graph) followed by depression and substance abuse. Prevalence of mental illness generally decreases with age with most prevalence in ages 16-24

“Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 22.1% of Americans ages 18 and older-about 1 in 5 adults-suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.

One in five adults experience a mental disorder, while one in twenty adults actually live with a serious one. Imagine that being a close friend, or even a family member struggling with a mental disorder. According to National Alliance on Mental disorder or

The Center For Disease Control also documented that ¼ people will experience at least one diagnosable mental health problem that is treatable, especially in young children. Unfortunately there are many adults and children

According to two different articles posted in two thousand sixteen “One in four American adults is affected by a mental disorder each year. . .” (“Mental disorders” 1), and “One in five kids ages 13-18 in the U.S. experiences a mental health condition in any given year. . .” (Villalpando 1). Mental illness is an epidemic and it starts young. According to Nicole Villalpando “Fifty percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75 percent by age 24” (1). Mental illness will not only affect the one with the disorder, but everyone around them. There is such a vast array of disorders, ranging from eating disorders, to anxiety, to schizophrenia. They can be mild or crippling. Everything

According to two different articles posted in two thousand sixteen “One in four American adults is affected by a mental disorder each year. . .” (“Mental disorders” 1), and “One in five kids ages 13-18 in the U.S. experiences a mental health condition in any given year. . .” (Villalpando 1). Mental illness is an epidemic and it starts young. According to Nicole Villalpando “Fifty percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75 percent by age 24” (1). Mental illness will not only affect the one with the disorder, but everyone around them. There is such a vast array of disorders, ranging from eating disorders, to anxiety, to schizophrenia. They can be mild or crippling. Everything about