Mental illness is the most common disability in the U.S. Twenty percent of the adult population experiences mental illness annually. For minors, ages six to 17, the number is one in six. Virtually everyone has a family member or friend who’s affected. Yet stereotypes persist, with mental illness often viewed as a sign of personal weakness, leading to blame instead of understanding and help.
The term mental illness is broad and covers a wide spectrum of symptoms and disorders. On the one end, the symptoms may consist of mild anxiety, obsessive thoughts or depression. The symptoms may be situational or more persistent and generalized, but the individual may still function sufficiently in work and social settings. Back in the day, these individuals were often referred to as “the worried well.” The other end of the spectrum includes symptoms and disorders that severely impact an individual’s ability to function or may result in death due to suicide. Perhaps the broadness of this range explains some of the public’s negative views. After all, if I can go to work when I feel depressed, why can’t you?
There is a need for better funding of community supports that include assistance with housing, skill building and employment.
The solutions to our mental health crisis may not be simple or inexpensive, but the longer we delay significant action, the longer we’ll continue to pay an unacceptable social price.
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