May 8, 2019
By Nicolle Tyszka
Staff Writer
One in five people in the United States will be affected by mental illness in his or her lifetime, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health. In 2017 alone, the National Institute of Mental Health estimated an astonishing 46.6 million Americans were affected by mental illness. This figure is extremely high, but this nation continues to place a relatively low emphasis on mental health because people tend to overlook a pain they cannot see.
What some people do not realize is that mental illness can place severe restrictions on the daily lives of those affected.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so it is especially important to spread the message about the effects of mental illness and end the stigma that is associated with it. Being told to get over it and being told that depression is not a real problem can be very damaging to a person’s self-esteem. Furthermore, receiving distressing accusations about creating false claims just to receive attention is insensitive to victims who have a sincere health issue. If the public were better informed, these destructive comments would be less prevalent.
It is time to recognize mental health as being just as important as physical health, as mental health has a significant effect on quality of life and physical health. People with serious mental health conditions have shortened life spans compared to the general population, according to the National Institutes of Health. Poor mental health also puts people at a higher risk of experiencing a range of chronic physical conditions, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association.
People with symptoms of depression reported experiencing three times as many chronic physical conditions as the general population, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association. This proves that mental health and physical health are fundamentally linked and equally important.
Mental health needs to be taken more seriously and there must be greater education on this health concern. People need to learn to be more understanding of those struggling with mental illness instead of acting out of ignorance and creating uninformed judgments. This makes the lives of the one in five who are affected much more difficult, and showing sensitivity and support to those who suffer from poor mental health can make an immense difference.
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