According to the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), in the U.S., 50% of mental illnesses lasting a lifetime begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24. Another astounding statistic states that one out of six young people aged 6-17 experiences mental health disorders each year. That is a significant portion of the population. The pervasiveness of mental health disorders makes it crucial that society embraces understanding mental illness by understanding statistics like these. Such statistics help raise mental health awareness. They help people understand the impact that mental health disorders have on everyday life. For instance, mental health disorders include social, economic, and physical manifestations.
Raising Mental Health Awareness Is an Individual Choice
Everyone has the power to raise mental illness awareness and the effects of mental illness disorders by educating themselves about:
- The types of mental illness disorders,
- The various symptoms, and
- The available treatment options.
It is incumbent on each member of a community to learn the impacts of mental illness on individuals, families, and communities. Raising mental health awareness does not require arduous skills and costs only a small investment of personal time. Share personal stories to start the conversation, to normalize the topics for discussion among coworkers and friends. Collaborate with schools, religious communities, and workplaces to spread the message and influence the conversation.
What we do matters. Each person can support those who struggle with mental health disorders. For instance, consider taking a public stance in support of legislation to improve affordable access to mental health care. Or reach out to political representatives to advocate for increased funding for mental health initiatives.
Social media is another powerful avenue available to each person to raise mental illness awareness. Like pebbles tossed into a pond, social media connects each of us to others in ever-widening circles. Those communication circles open the way to sharing information and personal stories. Hashtags make it easy to draw the friend group’s attention to the many stories covering mental health issues. Using hashtags such as #MentalHealthAwareness, #BreaktheStigma, and #WellBeing enables the spread of the word.
Stigma and Mental Health
Every U.S. resident should recognize that they have a sphere of influence to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues and improve lives. Stigma and mental health keep sufferers from seeking and obtaining critical mental health care.
To reduce the stigma surrounding mental health disorders, communities must reduce the discrimination and prejudice aimed at people with mental health disorders. Face it, when a community targets a mental health disorder with stigma, the people with that mental disorder are also stigmatized. The myth is that only immoral people face mental health disorders. The truth is that everyone faces the risk of mental health disorders at some time in their lives.
The risk factors communities associate with mental health disorders include:
- Poverty
- Homelessness
- Threats of Violence or violent trauma
- Vulnerable populations
- Trauma
- Lack of access to mental health care
- Discrimination and prejudice
As communities continue to associate the above risk factors with social disgrace, they also disparage the character of the people who face these risks in their everyday lives. The stigma facing mental health disorders is threefold:
- Public discrimination, humiliation, and reduced value by others may result in job and housing discrimination, and in access to quality health care.
- Individuals internalize stereotypes and negativity, which results in the individual feeling ashamed of their condition and contributes to social isolation from family and friends.
- Systemic stigma results in reduced access to mental health care and limited funding resources, reflected in a community’s policies and practices, and in a lack of socially progressive legislative initiatives.
- Mental illness disorders with co-occurring substance abuse issues may begin as self-medication during the teen years, or result from a traumatic event, or a physician may have prescribed drugs for a specific condition. No matter how the mental disorder presents, obtaining mental health care is critical. In some cases, the patient may not have insurance, or insurance may not cover substance abuse healthcare, leaving both the substance abuse and the mental illness unaddressed. In other cases, people fear coming into conflict with the legal system, so they avoid seeking treatment for mental illness and substance use.
The following concept is important to the understanding of mental illness: With access to proper mental health care and support services, patients can manage their mental health disorders, and those with co-occurring substance abuse disorders may recover. Most importantly, with consistent support and mental health care, patients with mental health disorders may live fulfilled lives of community engagement.
Effects of Mental Illness on Life
Mental illness causes changes in the human body that lead to physical manifestations of illness. The effects of mental illness mean that mental health disorders may lead to long-term physical health conditions, such as:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High Blood Pressure
- Stomach Ulcers
- Heart Disease
- Stroke
- Chronic Pain
The effects of mental illness mean disruptions to a person’s daily functioning routine. It interferes with family relationships, friendships, and work relationships. Wage-earners may find it difficult to hold a job. Students may find that their school performance suffers, and college students may feel a decrease in their striving for independence.
Some people may find that the effects of mental illness cause them long-term feelings of sadness, hopelessness, fear, or even guilt. Some patients may have wide mood swings or feelings of anger or hostility. Others may face depression when negative feelings of sadness or hopelessness become overwhelming and do not go away on their own. Talking with a faith adviser, a faith prayer group, or friends and family may give some respite. Remember, however, that major depression is a serious illness that doctors can treat with therapy, medicine, or both.
Find the Therapist That Fits Your Style
If you or a loved one faces a mental illness disorder, please know that you are not alone. Help is available.
Know, too, that therapists follow different models, such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), while others practice psychotherapy or talk therapy. Some therapists practice faith-based or spiritual theory for those who request it. The idea is that you should research to find the therapist that is a good fit for you/ Reflect on your needs, your comfort zones, and your personal goals.
Refinery Counseling Services, LLC (RCS) is a woman-minority-veteran-owned private practice serving patients in Georgia. The firm’s therapists practice talk therapy. If you are interested in faith-based therapy, you may request it. The firm’s stated mission is to empower every client to grow to their potential and accomplish their goals in mental health healing.
The practice is committed to compassionate care, community engagement that empowers clients, and cultural competence. Our therapists establish a safe environment for sharing sensitive personal information. All our therapists are licensed and have years of experience as clinical mental health professionals.
You will find a wide range of therapy sessions at RCS, such as:
- Individual psychotherapy sessions to focus on healing past traumas, navigating life’s challenges, and acquiring coping skills
- Group psychotherapy sessions for small numbers of participants who meet to share experiences in a specific mental health area
- Family therapy to settle family issues
- Child and adolescent therapy to address childhood traumas and anxiety
- Couples therapy to address relationship issues
- Grief counseling for loss from death, divorce, and other traumatic events
- Suicide survivor support
- Anxiety therapy for stress
- Depression therapy arising from chronic pain, debilitating or traumatic injury, and other causes
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder therapy (PTSD)
- Veteran post-service mental health issues, including re-entry into civilian life, psychological effects of combat, and sexual trauma
We tailor psychotherapy treatment plans to meet each client’s personal needs and desired goals.
Taking the Next Step
If you or a loved one struggles with the effects of mental illness, please contact us today. Our friendly and efficient staff are happy to schedule a free and confidential initial consultation with one of our experienced counselors. In your first consultation, your therapist will assess your current situation, ask a few questions about your family and mental health history, and discuss your needs and goals for healing your emotional and mental health.
You will have an opportunity to ask questions about the counselor’s education, certifications, and professional experience. We also want you to feel comfortable that we provide a safe space for sharing your sensitive thoughts and feelings.
Your therapist will partner with you to determine the services and treatment options that provide the best treatment plan that meets your needs and goals.
To jump-start your journey, we invite you to read the January 4, 2025, article entitled “Emotional Resilience: How to Build It and Sustain It Through Every Season.”
You can also find a wide variety of other articles that you may find educational and interesting to supplement your mental health journey. Articles are contained on our website’s Refined by Grace blog.
We hope to hear from you soon. We want to show you how Refinery Counseling Services can help you grow and heal along your mental health journey.
