Mental health issues aren’t new, no matter what your co-worker, neighbor, or family member who complains about “every second person is getting diagnosed with depression these days.” A person with this attitude about mental health likely thinks that someone with mental health struggles is just lazy or a “slacker,” and they need to get up and get over it. They can’t, unless they get professional help.
Vincent van Gogh on Mental Illness
The famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) had this to say about mental illness: “I knew well enough that one could fracture one’s legs and arms and recover afterward, but I did not know that you could fracture the brain in your head and recover from that too.”
Mr. van Gogh had the right idea. Mental illnesses are brain diseases and can be treated. In some cases, the person can recover. With proper treatment (medication and counseling), many people can develop strategies for better living with their mental illness, not despite it.
USA Mental Illnesses by Type (2021)
Essential mental illness facts for USA residents:
- Anxiety disorders are the most common types of mental illness, affecting 19.1 percent of the population. Anxiety disorders include:
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- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
- Phobias
- Social anxiety disorder
- Women are more likely than men to experience major depression. This mental illness affects 8.3 percent of the adult population (or 21 million adults). Adolescents also have difficulties with major depression: 17 percent of young people aged 12-17 have experienced an episode.
- Close to four times as many men commit suicide as women.
- People who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native have the highest instances of mental illness within a racial group at 26.6 percent.
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- Multiracial or mixed race: 34.9 percent
- Caucasian: 23.9 percent
- African American: 21.4 percent
- Hispanic or Latino: 20.7 percent
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 18.1 percent
- Asian: 16.4 percent
- Approximately 33.5 percent of adults with a mental illness also have a substance use disorder (drug or alcohol addiction). This situation is also referred to as a dual diagnosis, and each element must be treated separately.
How to Find Treatment Options for Mental Health
If you are concerned about your own or a loved one’s mental health, where can you go to find help? Here are some options:
In an Emergency
For someone who is harming themselves or someone else (or is likely to do so), call 9-1-1.
For Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior
To get help for someone who is feeling suicidal or who has taken steps to harm themselves, dial 9-8-8 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Alternatively, contact them at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). Services are also available in Spanish.
Primary Care Doctor or Nurse Practitioner
A good place to start the journey towards finding mental health treatment is to make an appointment with a primary care physician or nurse practitioner. They are qualified to conduct an initial mental health screening and make a referral to a mental health professional for treatment.
The mental health professional could be a licensed social worker, a psychologist, or a psychiatrist. Social workers are particularly skilled at sharing helpful community programs and resources with their clients. Some people may shy away from being treated by a psychiatrist; they are medical doctors who can diagnose mental illnesses and prescribe medications for their patients. Psychologists can also diagnose and treat mental illnesses; however, they do not prescribe drugs.
Government Agencies
Government agencies and services at the federal, state, and county levels may be sources of information about mental health services available in your area. The following are some places to start:
