1 in 5 Americans Experienced Mental Illness: 2011 Report

A new national report from Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration (SAMHSA) says that 1 in 5 Americans experienced mental illness last year. Large part of it are individuals l8 years old and above. This is more than doubled compared to individuals aged 50 years and above, which make up only 14.3 percent of the whole population with mental illness.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Risks of mental illness according to gender; adult women were more likely to experience mental illness (23%) than men (16.8).
• Regarding suicide, the report says that 8.7 million American adults contemplated to do it; 2.5 million made suicide plans while 1.1 million actually made attempts.
• Individuals with substance abuse disorders accounted for 20 percent of mental health cases. It is to note that the risk of mental disorders is higher among those who were substance dependent.
• 1.9 million Adolescents (aged 12 to 17 years old) which comprised 8% of the American population suffered from major depressive episode or depression.
• Still among youths, those who’ve suffered from major depression are at twice risk of using illicit drugs (37.2%), compared to those who don’t have history of depression (only 17.8%).

The report gives a chilling reality to the mental well-being of the American population. SAMSHA experts stress that mental illness can be managed successfully, and people do recover if managed early. Substance abuse disorders should not be taken for granted as well, because it can also lead to mental disorders.

 

Hidden cost of mental illness

Mental illness costs the United States $300 billion in 2002 alone. Costs stem from lost income, and development of more serious medical conditions. According to WHO (World Health Organization), mental illness accounts for more disability compared to heart disease and cancer in developed countries.

 

Not every case gets treated

One of the factors that may contribute to this trend is that not every case of mental disorder is treated by medical professionals. Statistics last year shows that among ten individuals who’re affected, only four of them received mental health services (39%). Only those who suffered from more serious cases of mental disorder had higher rate of treatment (60.8%), but still not all get adequate attention.

This shows that many people with mental disorders do not get enough professional services.

 

Mental illness a significant health problem

This makes mental illness a significant health problem – though it was already anticipated a few years ago because of the noticeable rise in cases. Mental illness can increase morbidity because of engagement in risky activities such as physical inactivity, smoking, excessive drinking and insufficient sleep. This makes the patient susceptible to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer

 

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