The State of Mental Health in America

The treatment and prevalence of mental health disorders and concerns in America is a crisis that must be addressed. This crisis has crept in slowly, and begun to impact the well-being of youths and adults across the nation and the world. In the United States, the system needs reform, as the number of mental health workers, resources, and beds in psychiatric hospitals face drastic shortages. Mental health in Americans can be addressed regarding youth and adults.

YOUTH

It is said that youth mental health has only been worsening over time. The youth population is one that is severely impacted by the lack of resources, personnel, and funding in mental health care. In regards to specific disorders, Major Depressive Disorder is one of the most common disorders that troubles adolescents. At their place in life, teens experience a variety of emotions as a part of their development, which may contribute to changes in mental health.

Experiences in school and home life can impact their mental health greatly as well. Overall, there are many factors that contribute to the rise of mental health disorders amongst teens, but the problem is, many teens do not receive the treatment that they need. Whether it stems from a financial issue, lack of resources, or a lack of awareness/acceptance, the reason that teens are not getting help can vary. In the past few years, data reflects:

• Two million young people suffer from Major Depressive Episodes (MDE)

• 59% of this population does not receive any form of treatment

• 4.13% of youth face a substance use disorder (in the past year)

• From last year, the number of young people with Severe MDE increased by a large number of 121,000 people.

ADULTS

Mental health has taken a turn for the worse in adults as well. In adults, mental illness can increase risk factors for types of physical illness, such as stroke and heart disease. Inversely, these physical conditions can also increase the likelihood of the development of mental illness.

Amongst women, post-partum depression is one of the most common experiences. Regarding the general population, experiences such as early childhood trauma, abuse, substance abuse, or feeling of isolation can be influential in the progression of these disorders. In older adults, substance abuse disorders are common, and this can contribute to a variety of other health problems at that stage in life. Data reflects:

• 45 million American adults suffer from a mental illness

• 7.68% of adults reported that they suffered from a substance abuse disorder in the past year

• The number of adults with serious suicidal thoughts has increased by 450,000 from last year, forming a total of 10.3 million adults suffering

• 26 million adults and individuals with mental illnesses do not receive treatments

Keep in mind, these statistics are official, but the unofficial numbers are likely higher due to stigma revolving around mental health awareness and other issues. This issue is one that exists on a large scale and impacts a large number of people in America and around the world. Mental health should be treated similarly to physical health as the two are closely related. In general, more awareness must be brought to this crisis so that change, funding, and resources can be swiftly allocated.

References

Mental Health in America - Youth Data. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2020, from https://www.mhanational.org/issues/mental-health-america-youth-data

Mental Health in America. (2019, September 24). Retrieved June 10, 2020, from https://onlinedegrees.bradley.edu/blog/mental-health-in-america/

Office of Adolescent Health. (2020, May 14). Adolescent Mental Health Basics. Retrieved June 10, 2020, from https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-development/mental-health/adolescent-mental- health-basics/index.html

Learn About Mental Health - Mental Health - CDC. (2018, January 26). Retrieved June 10, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm