Does Mental Health Deserve More Attention?

Does mental health deserve more attention?

When did you last hear somebody talk about being mentally ill, or about having a family member with a mental illness? The chances are that it was quite some time ago, yet mental health problems affect one in every five Americans. Only 41% of those people get professional help. A lot of people feel ashamed to seek help, while others decide that their problems are trivial, which – just as with physical illness – sometimes leads to those problems getting worse. The vast majority of mental health problems can be improved by treatment, especially if they’re caught early on, so why don’t we recognize them as a real problem that isn’t anyone’s fault and that we can do something about?

Common mental health problems

The most common mental health problems in America are anxiety disorders (including phobias and obsessive compulsive disorder), which affect 18% of Americans at some point in life and are among the most susceptible to treatment. Depression is also common, affecting 7% of Americans in any given year. More unusual problems such as schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder are far less commonplace but can have a dramatic effect on individual lives. It’s not uncommon for people to have multiple mental health problems or to have illnesses of this type that are complicated by physical ones.

Mental health and the family

When measuring the impact of mental health problems, it’s important to understand that they don’t just affect the individuals who are ill – they also have an impact on their family and friends. Some problems can be passed down through generations, so families may have to cope with several people facing difficulties. 13% of children face mental health problems at some stage, and this can be particularly difficult for parents, who may take some time to realize that there’s more going on than ordinary misbehavior and who can then feel very isolated. In older adults, dementia-related conditions can exacerbate existing problems and make what was once manageable into a much more difficult thing to live with.

Mental health at work

Poor mental health can create difficulties in gaining and holding onto employment, and a lot of mental health problems are work-related. 80% of Americans say that their jobs are stressful, with 40% describing them as very stressful or extremely stressful; and prolonged, untreated stress is known to be a major risk factor for depression and anxiety. Altogether, the working days lost to these problems are worth an estimated $300 billion per year. Where bosses step in early to tackle the problems that are causing stress, the result is less time off overall and less disruption to the business – yet many employers admit that they’re unsure how to recognize symptoms of mental ill health, and many employees are wary of telling bosses about their problems because they fear that they could be penalized as a result.

Treating mental health problems

There are several different techniques in common use for the treatment of mental ill health. One is talking therapy, which can help a lot in situations where changing behavior or habits of thought can resolve the problem. In other cases, where a chemical imbalance in the brain is thought to be at the root of the problem, drugs can be effective, though it can sometimes take a while to establish which ones best suit any given individual. Another option is to move the affected person into a different environment, away from day-to-day stress factors, to create an opportunity for healing. This is key to the work of Newport Academy, which specializes in treating young people. The academy provides clinical support and talking therapies in a retreat where its clients can spend time with supportive peers, learn life skills, and relax.

Raising awareness

For many people struggling with mental ill health, the difficulty of getting by in day-to-day life is made much worse by other people’s lack of understanding and support, or even by outright hostility. We can all help to challenge this by raising awareness and helping more people realize that mental health problems do not stem from laziness or a bad attitude but are a serious issue that warrants a serious response. Being open with friends and colleagues about problems that you may have yourself, even if they’re minor, can help others to be open about problems that have a major effect on their lives. It’s these small day-to-day conversations, just as much as the campaigns and the stories that make headlines, which can change the world.