Toward the bottom of this page is a long list of topics related to mental health issues.
The following information is provided by NAMI—National Alliance on Mental Health
Mental illness is a condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling, behavior or mood. These conditions deeply impact day-to-day living and may also affect the ability to relate to others. If you have — or think you might have — a mental illness, the first thing you must know is that you are not alone. Mental health conditions are far more common than you think, mainly because people don’t like to, or are scared to, talk about them. However:
- 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
- 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
- 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
- 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24
A mental health condition isn’t the result of one event. Research suggests multiple, linking causes. Genetics, environment and lifestyle influence whether someone develops a mental health condition. A stressful job or home life makes some people more susceptible, as do traumatic life events. Biochemical processes and circuits and basic brain structure may play a role, too.
None of this means that you’re broken or that you, or your family, did something “wrong.” Mental illness is no one’s fault. And for many people, recovery — including meaningful roles in social life, school and work — is possible, especially when you start treatment early and play a strong role in your own recovery process.
Warning Signs & Symptoms
Trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors are and what might be the signs of a mental illness isn’t always easy. There’s no easy test that can let someone know if there is mental illness or if actions and thoughts might be typical behaviors of a person or the result of a physical illness.
Each illness has its own symptoms, but common signs of mental illness in adults and adolescents can include the following:
- Excessive worrying or fear
- Feeling excessively sad or low
- Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning
- Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria
- Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger
- Avoiding friends and social activities
- Difficulties understanding or relating to other people
- Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy
- Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite
- Changes in sex drive
- Difficulty perceiving reality (delusions or hallucinations, in which a person experiences and senses things that don’t exist in objective reality)
- Inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings, behavior or personality (”lack of insight” or anosognosia)
- Overuse of substances like alcohol or drugs
- Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing “aches and pains”)
- Thinking about suicide
- Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
- An intense fear of weight gain or concern with appearance
Mental health conditions can also begin to develop in young children. Because they’re still learning how to identify and talk about thoughts and emotions, their most obvious symptoms are behavioral. Symptoms in children may include the following:
- Changes in school performance
- Excessive worry or anxiety, for instance fighting to avoid bed or school
- Hyperactive behavior
- Frequent nightmares
- Frequent disobedience or aggression
- Frequent temper tantrums
Where To Get Help
Don’t be afraid to reach out if you or someone you know needs help. Learning all you can about mental health is an important first step.
Reach out to your health insurance, primary care doctor or state/county mental health authority for more resources.
Contact the NAMI HelpLine to find out what services and supports are available in your community.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Statistical Data related to Mental Illness
Millions of people in the U.S. are affected by mental illness each year. It’s important to measure how common mental illness is, so we can understand its physical, social and financial impact — and so we can show that no one is alone. These numbers are also powerful tools for raising public awareness, stigma-busting and advocating for better health care.
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- 22.8% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2021 (57.8 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults.
- 5.5% of U.S. adults experienced serious mental illness in 2021 (14.1 million people). This represents 1 in 20 adults.
- 16.5% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 experienced a mental health disorder in 2016 (7.7 million people)
- 7.6% of U.S. adults experienced a co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness in 2021 (19.4 million people)
- Annual prevalence of mental illness among U.S. adults, by demographic group:
- Non-Hispanic Asian: 16.4%
- Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 18.1%
- Non-Hispanic Black or African American: 21.4%
- Hispanic or Latino: 20.7%
- Non-Hispanic White: 23.9%
- Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native: 26.6%
- Non-Hispanic mixed/multiracial: 34.9%
- Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual: 50.2%
- Annual prevalence among U.S. adults, by condition:
Mental health treatment—therapy, medication, self-care—have made recovery a reality for most people experiencing mental illness. Although taking the first steps can be confusing or difficult, it’s important to start exploring options.
- 47.2% of U.S. adults with mental illness received treatment in 2021
- 65.4% of U.S. adults with serious mental illness received treatment in 2021
- 50.6% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 with a mental health disorder received treatment in 2016
- The average delay between onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment is 11 years
- Annual treatment rates among U.S. adults with any mental illness, by demographic group:
- 10.6% of U.S. adults with mental illness had no insurance coverage in 2021
- 11.9% of U.S. adults with serious mental illness had no insurance coverage in 2021
- 164 million people live in a designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Area
Having a mental illness can make it challenging to live everyday life and maintain recovery. Beyond the individual, these challenges ripple out through our families, our communities, and our world.
PERSON
- People with depression have a 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than the general population. People with serious mental illness are nearly twice as likely to develop these conditions.
- 33.5% of U.S. adults with mental illness also experienced a substance use disorder in 2021 (19.4 million individuals)
- The rate of unemployment is higher among U.S. adults who have mental illness (7.4%) compared to those who do not (4.6%)
- High school students with significant symptoms of depression are more than twice as likely to drop out compared to their peers
- Students aged 6-17 with mental, emotional or behavioral concerns are 3x more likely to repeat a grade.
FAMILY
- At least 8.4 million people in the U.S. provide care to an adult with a mental or emotional health issue
- Caregivers of adults with mental or emotional health issues spend an average of 32 hours per week providing unpaid care
COMMUNITY
- 21.1% of people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. have a serious mental health condition
- Among people in the U.S. under age 18, depressive disorders are the most common cause of hospitalization (after excluding hospitalization relating to pregnancy and birth)
- Among people in the U.S. aged 18-44, psychosis spectrum and mood disorders account for nearly 600,000 hospitalizations each year
- 19.7% of U.S. Veterans experienced a mental illness in 2020 (3.9 million people)
- 9.6% of Active Component service members in the U.S. military experienced a mental health or substance use condition in 2021
- Across the U.S. economy, serious mental illness causes $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year
WORLD
- Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion in lost productivity each year
- Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide
Suicidal Ideation, Attempts & Death
Thoughts of suicide can be frightening. But by reaching out for help or checking in with family and friends, we can avoid devastating outcomes.
- Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-14 and the 3rd leading cause of death among those aged 15-24 in the U.S.
- Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death overall in the U.S.
- 46% of people who die by suicide had a diagnosed mental health condition
- 90% of people who die by suicide may have experienced symptoms of a mental health condition, according to interviews with family, friends and medical professionals (also known as psychological autopsy)
- Annual prevalence of serious thoughts of suicide, high risk populations:
- Lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are nearly 4x more likely to attempt suicide than straight youth
- 79% of people who die by suicide are male
- Transgender adults are nearly 9x more likely to attempt suicide at some point in their lifetime compared to the general population
FREEdom from MEdom Project would like to provide readers with easy-to-read information to educate themselves on mental health disorders. Throughout each description are websites and accessible resources to delve deeper into becoming more informed and extend accessibility for help. The information below is offered with permission by Mental Health America. Please observe the drop down menu under ‘Mental Health ED’ on the menu bar to navigate your way through a number of mental/behavioral health disorders and issues.
Please understand that this is simply information and is not meant as a substitute for appropriate treatment from professionals at the requisite level of care.
- Anxiety Disorders
- Genaralized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Panic Disorder
- Paranoia and Paranoid Disorders
- Phobias
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Children
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Dementia
- Bipolar Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder in Children
- Bereavement – Coping With Loss
- Stages of Grief
- Conduct Disorder
- Depression
- Postpartum Disorders (Depression)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Dissociation and Dissociative Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Anorexia
- Bulimia
- Binge-Eating Disorder
- Impulse Control Disorder
- Learning Disabilities
- Mood Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Schizoaffective Disorder
- Schizophrenia in Children
- Self-Injury
- Suicide
- Tardive Dyskinesia
