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SAN DIEGOOctober 16, 2018 – According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), about 1 in 5 American adults will develop some form of mental illness in a given year. This represents approximately 44 million American adults, or 18.6% of the entire adult population of the United States.
According to NAMI, the current number of American adults with a mental illness is staggering:
- 1% live with schizophrenia
- 6% live with bipolar disorder
- 9% will experience a major depressive episode
- 1 percent suffer from an anxiety disorder, such as a post-traumatic stress disorder, an obsessive-compulsive disorder or a variety of phobias
- 7 million adults suffer from addiction and 40.7% of them are suffering from a mental illness
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND MENTAL HEALTH
The states of Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, North Dakota and Delaware have the lowest rate of mental illness in the country, which could be attributed to access to health-related treatment programs mental.
Having an untreated mental illness could play an important role in criminal behavior or homicide, especially if drug addiction or unemployment is also prevalent, according to David Kopel, director of research at the Independence Institute.
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UNTREATED MENTAL ILLNESS CAN COMMIT CRIME
Admissions to psychiatric hospitals have declined in recent decades, due to declining popularity in the face of concerns about the mistreatment of their hospitalized patients. Conversely, since the 1950s, there has been a significant increase in the inmate population of inmates with mental illness.
According to Kopel, it is essential to reduce the human and financial costs of violent crime caused by people with mental illness. "90 days in a psychiatric hospital could avoid the need for 10 years in prison."
About 15% of state prisoners and 24% of inmates probably have a psychotic disorder, according to the Justice Department in an article by Ana Swanson published in the Washington Post.
The ability to identify and respond quickly to people with symptoms that could indicate mental illness would be a major step towards compassionate recovery and crime prevention.
Crime in America has become a highly politicized and polarizing problem.
Often when a tragedy occurs, political and social leaders seize the opportunity to assert their views on the national stage to promote their own ideology.
While Americans accept the prevalence of mental illness, it is possible to create sound and realistic policies that move away from historically negative stigma and ideology and point to opportunities for change. individual and national healing.
Creating more ways to appropriately report any suspicion of mental illness and to require mandatory and compassionate treatment for those diagnosed would be an important step forward in helping to solve the current mental health crisis in the country.
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Undeniable gaps in the mental health system must be filled.
Sue Abderholden, MPHA, Executive Director of NAMI Minnesota, offers the following ideas that would ease the bridge from mental illness to mental health while strengthening community safety.
- Sufficient Availability of Psychiatrists and Mental Health Providers
- No waiting list for community services and inpatient treatment options
- A 24-hour crisis team in each community
- Employment and housing
- Effective case management and care coordination between mental health professionals and organizations
- Treatment programs for people with dual diagnosis
- Opportunities for screening and early intervention
- Unlimited access to mental health treatments
Early identification of a mental illness and access to appropriate treatment options is a healthy, compassionate approach to facilitating individual healing and making American communities much safer.
Waiting for the next time, enjoy the ride in good health!
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