Mental Illness in the US - Research Paper Example

? MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE US According to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of health, health de s the physical, mental, psychological and social normalcy of an individual and not just the absence of disease (NIMH, 2004). From this definition, it is clear that, there is more to health than the physical attributes. Mental health is important just like physical health because no individual is considered healthy if their mental health is deranged even if they are normal physically. The mental aspect of an individual coordinates other body systems, and for this reason, every human being needs to be mentally fit. Mental illnesses have been around for centuries, and they continue affecting every citizen in the US, just like in the other parts of the world. There is growing interest by researchers on issues of mental health and how these have impacted on society. As it is an important health topic, researchers have done extensive research and now, there is diverse knowledge on health illnesses in the US. This paper analyzes mental illnesses in the US by dwelling on the history of mental illnesses, statistics of mental illnesses and impact of mental illnesses on the US population and government as a whole in terms of managing the condition. Statistics Mental disorders are common conditions internationally, and this is the same in the United States. Estimates reveal that 26.2 million Americans over 18 years suffer from mental illnesses. In any particular year, 1 in 4 adults are diagnosed with a mental condition. The problem is so major that currently, mental disorders are a top disability cause in the US for ages between 16 and 44. These are very alarming statistics. Even though the figures are high, the burden of illness affects a small proportion of the population, that is, a population of about 6% of all the cases of mental illnesses (Kessler et al., 2003). This translates to about 1 in 17 people who have a mental illness. Most people with mental illnesses suffer from more than one mental illness at a go, so that there is an overlap of mental conditions. This represents 45% of Americans with mental illnesses. This group represents the population with the highest morbidity and mortality. In the US, the diagnosis of mental illnesses is through using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) (CDC, 2010). From the classification on the DSM-IV, mental illnesses include mood disorders, suicide, schizophrenia, panic disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), social phobia, eating disorders, autism and Alzheimer’s disease (Kessler et al., 2003). From this, it is evident that mental illnesses are very diverse. Schizophrenia affects 2.4 million Americans. This represents about 1.2% of the American adult population. Bipolar mood disorders, on the other hand, affects approximately 2.6% of the American adult population. Major depressive disorder is one of the most prevalent disorders in the US affecting 6.7 % of American adults. In the US, it is the number one cause of disability in people aged between 15 and 44 years. Panic disorder, OCD, PTSD, GAD and social phobias, collectively termed as anxiety disorders affect the highest proportion of adults. Figures from the WHO in 2004 revealed that anxiety disorders affected 18.7% of the American adult population. However, anxiety disorders rarely occur singly; they co-occur with other disorders like addiction disorders and depression. Statistics have also revealed that 25 % of mental illnesses in the US begin by 13 years, and 60% begin by 24 years. This disparity arises due to the disparity of accessing medical services. In some cases, there is delay between onset of symptoms and the start of treatment. Other factors like social segregation have played a part in this disparity also in that ethnic and racial minorities have lower access to mental healthcare. Due to this, there is early progress of symptoms. Even though it is does not seem serious, suicide is the 11th leading cause of deaths among the American population, and the 4th leading cause of death among people aged between 10 and 24 years. Moreover, it has been revealed that over 90% of people who commit suicide have been diagnosed from a mental disorder. Statistics by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2004 revealed that as much as mental illnesses start as early as 14 years and 24 years, the prevalence is towards the senior years when one’s life starts to seem like it is bleak. For instance, in nursing homes, the prevalence of mental illnesses in citizens aged between 65 and 74 years was 18.7% while in those aged over 85 years, the prevalence was 23.5%. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are the chief causes of mental illness among the senior population in the US. Apart from dementia with a prevalence of 41%, mood disorders are also prevalent in the adult population (CDC, 2010). The CDC has also determined the likelihood of getting a mental disorder in one’s lifetime. In experiments conducted in 2006, it was revealed that the lifetime diagnosis of depression in an American adult is 15.7%. In 2008, this rate was 16.1%, representing a rise of 0.4% in 2 years. This means that present figures are about 18.7%. However, the lifetime likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder was lower in these two years. In 2006, the rate was estimated to be 11.3% and in 2008, it was estimated to be 12.3% (CDC, 2010). These statistics do not lie. Mental illness is a serious condition in the American population. In the US, the cost of mental illnesses has skyrocketed in the recent past such that it currently stands at over $79 billion. Much of that amount is a reflection of the loss of productivity that is associated with mental illnesses in the US. Not only does it lead to loss of productivity, but it also continues affecting the education system. Over 52% of students with mental illnesses at an early age drop out of high school. This represents the greatest school dropout rate in any disability group (NIMH, 2003). A sample of the US prisons also shows that mental illnesses have taken prevalence in society. About 25% of federal prison inmates have some history of mental illnesses. 80 % of youth in the juvenile prison system have also had some history of mental illnesses. All these are evidence that mental illnesses are a common occurrence in the American population, and the figures are ever rising. This is a cause for alarm, and measures need to be put in place to surmount this condition (NIMH, 2003). Initiatives to address Mental Health in America Mental illnesses in the US have been around for centuries, but the difference over time is that society has come to accept people with mental illnesses even though some continue to be discriminated against. During the 17th and 18th centuries, people with mental illnesses in the US were oppressed by the American society. They were viewed as demon-possessed and equated to animals. For this reason, they were subjected to harsh treatment by the population. There was both physical and mental abuse of this population, which made life difficult for them. A case is told of Clifford Beers, who after the death of his brother, suffered from an acute breakdown. So much Beers was affected that he even tried to commit suicide. Beers was later hospitalized in a mental facility. The attendants in the facility were unprofessional and incompetent as they subjected him to physical and mental torture coupled with insufficient treatment. From this, Beers vowed to bring about mental reform in America. In 1908, he published a book on mental reform, entitled “A Mind that found itself’. This book had massive impact, and from this, society had a different approach to mental issues. After a series of movements were formed, triggered by Beers, the Mental Health America (MHA) was born in 2006. This movement champions for the rights of the American population suffering from mental illnesses. The organization is completely dedicated towards ensuring that any American with a mental condition receives fair treatment and is not subjected to mistreatment by other members of the society. Not only does the movement champion for the rights of the mentally ill, but also ensures that they receive adequate treatment so that they are freed from mental, emotional and physical anguish. The MHA has outreach programs that are aimed at ensuring that the whole of America is well equipped to manage people with mental conditions and ensure that these people are made to feel at home by their peers. The movement has also vowed to ensure that mental cases among the youth in the juvenile system are not neglected. Conclusion Mental illnesses are a common occurrence in the United States and in the whole of the world. Approximately 25% of Americans aged 18 and above have some form of mental illness. 1 in 4 adults suffer from a mental illness in one year. However, even though these figures are alarming, the burden is concentrated to a portion of the population, representing only 6% of the affected individuals. Mental illnesses in the US are diverse, but, the common ones are anxiety disorders, mood disorders, autism, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The last two affect senior populations commonly. For centuries, Americans with mental illnesses were neglected and mistreated by the society, but in the 20th century, efforts by Clifford Beers, who had suffered the brunt of mistreatment by having a mental illness, gave birth to the Mental Health America, an organization that continues to champion for the rights of people with mental illnesses. This has succeeded to great effect in that; people with mental illnesses in the US have now been accepted into society. 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