May Is

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental illness is very real and affects many more people than you may think. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, research shows that mental illnesses are common in the United States, affecting tens of millions of people each year. Estimates suggest that only half of people with mental illnesses receive treatment.

There is such a stigma related to mental illness especially in minority communities. This stigma keeps people from getting the help they need for fear of being judged and/or rejected by their families and friends and there is a common misperception that being diagnosed with a mental illness is a sign of weakness. I have actually heard people being treated for a mental illness state that they will not take their medications because they don’t want others to think that they are crazy. My question: If you were diagnosed with any other ailment that affects your physical body, would you take the prescribed medication to treat it? The same applies to our mental health.

Did you know that….

• One in six U.S. adults lives with a mental illness (44.7 million in 2016) (www.nimh.nih.gov)

• Approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. For children aged 8–15, the estimate is 13%. (www.nami.org)

• According to the World Health Organization, mental illness results in more disability in developed countries than any other group of illnesses, including cancer and heart disease. (https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealthsurveillance/fact_sheet.html)

• 70% of youth in juvenile justice systems have at least one mental health condition and at least 20% live with a serious mental illness. (www.nami.org)

• More than 90% of children who die by suicide have a mental health condition. (www.nami.org)

For more information regarding mental health awareness, click the following links:

Sister, join in this movement, get informed and help cure the stigma related to mental illness. Spread the word…Sister U Matter!®