Understanding Common Mental Health Disorders: Week 1 - Introduction

Millions of people in the US suffer from mental health disorders. Due to the stigma associated with mental illness, people do not talk about mental health as often as physical health. This can deter people from getting the necessary treatment they need and lead to feeling misunderstood and blaming themselves for their symptoms. Mental health problems in the US creates a ripple effect which impacts the person, families of those with mental illness, and the community. Below are some statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) about mental illness and treatment in the United States:

Ø Approximately 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness each year

Ø Approximately 1 in 6 youth ages 6-17 experience mental illness each year

Ø Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people ages 10-34

Ø 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14 and 75% by age 24

Ø Only 43% of adults and 50% of youth with a mental health disorder receive treatment

Ø The average delay between onset of mental illness and treatment is approximately 11 years

These statistics highlight the need for our society to develop a better understanding of mental health symptoms and increase access to appropriate treatment for these conditions. This will be the first of a six week blog series providing information about common mood and anxiety disorders. This series will cover the rates of the disorder in the US, symptoms associated with the disorder, a case example of how these symptoms present in daily life, and treatment options. There will be a blog dedicated to each of the following mental health conditions:

Ø Generalized anxiety disorder

Ø Social anxiety

Ø Major Depressive Disorder

Ø Bipolar Disorder

Ø Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Following the blog series, Dr. Jennifer Ritchie, will host a live webinar describing different types of mental health providers and answering questions about mental health treatment. For more information about services provided at Gateway Behavioral Health Consultants, click the following link to sign up for our newsletter (https://www.gbhconsultants.com/contact) or contact us at our office via phone (314-325-2685) or email (gbhconsultants@gmail.com).

Mental Health By the Numbers. (2019, September). Retrieved May 2, 2020, from https://nami.org/mhstats