We tend to take minor things for granted in life. We didn't know how important something was until it was gone, and how much better we could have managed it if it had been with us. One of these things is mental wellness. Some people are still cautious to bring up the subject of mental health. Others are unconcerned about their mental health in general.
Mental illness is still the "elephant in the room" in home, work, and school. We're aware of the problem but prefer to remain silent about it.
I've often wondered why people are so scared to speak up about something that we can all connect to and about which we should all be deeply worried. Nowadays, one of the most common problems we see our ordinary Americans face is dealing with mental health difficulties. You don't have to be diagnosed with a mental health issue to recognize that managing it is difficult for you. Stress, frustration, worry, and another mental agony can alter how we live, behave, think, and feel about other people, places, and things.
Because it requires them to sit down and be present with their thoughts and feelings, some people avoid treating their mental health. We must understand that escaping from these emotions or thoughts through people, places, or things simply makes things worse. Anxiety disorders, panic attacks, OCD, sadness, bipolar disorder, mood disruption disorders, phobias, eating disorders, personality disorders, PTSD, schizophrenia, and other mental health diseases are just a few examples.
Mental health problems are caused by a variety of factors. These may include but are not limited to:
Genetics and family history, life experiences, unresolved negative emotions (stress, guilt, shame, etc. ), pregnancy exposure, medical conditions, isolation, abandonment difficulties, childhood trauma, and abuse history are all factors to consider. The most important question is HOW? How do you deal with these problems? What kind of services or programs can we build and give to the general population to address these issues? What can we do to increase awareness?
When does mental health get a lot of attention?
Mental health is sometimes utilized as a "get out of jail free" card." Many tragic cases in which people claim mental illness as a justification for their awful inhumane behavior are seen and heard. News of mass shootings in schools, supermarkets, movie theaters, and other public areas where children and adults congregate are examples.
We frequently witness footage of a "shooter" who has had a mental health crisis or has been diagnosed with a disease. If this is the case, and it is, where, in my perspective, is the history of our communities or, more importantly, parents lobbying for programs that can aid with managing the mental health issue of concern? The question is what you've done to guarantee that the problem is correctly handled, and what efforts you've taken to avoid a scenario like this from escalating.
And after that, what happens? There's more to dealing with a mental health problem than popping pills. We need to delve deeper and come up with approaches that are healthful, self-paced, and provide long-term benefits.
On the other hand, there are some people who are having difficulty managing their mental health difficulties and are looking for services that will help them.
Let's look at mental health in the United States in more detail.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, mental health was always prevalent, and the number of mental ailments has continued to climb. According to an online American mental health database, both children's and adults' mental health is declining.
In comparison to the 9.1% reported the previous year, 9.7% of our youth in the United States are depressed. Adults are having more suicidal thoughts than ever before. Between 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, the number of people in the United States who had serious suicidal thoughts increased by 0.15 percent, or 460,000 people, compared to the previous year's numbers.
There is still a scarcity of mental health treatment for both children and adults. During the 2017-2018 school year, 60 percent of children with severe depression received no mental health treatment. Over 38% of people do not obtain the mental health care they require, even in the states with the best availability. Only 27.3 percent of children with severe depression received treatment on a regular basis. 23.6 percent of adults with mental disorders reported unmet treatment needs in 2017-2018. This figure has stayed constant since 2011.
The number of persons with mental illnesses who are uninsured has grown for the first time since the Affordable Care Act's passage (ACA). In the United States, there are 5.1 million adults who are uninsured. This ratio varies significantly by state: in New Jersey (ranked #1), 2.5 percent of those with AMI are uninsured, compared to 23 percent in Wyoming (ranked #51).
Finally, even though there are numerous initiatives that encourage mental health wellbeing, we should advocate for more. As part of the educational curriculum, mental health wellness initiatives should be included. Mental health services should be available in hospitals, community centers, and any other agency that focuses on individuals.
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