I
found the following facts from “The World Health Organizations” website to be
eye-opening.
10 facts on mental health
Fact
1
Around
20% of the world's children and adolescents have mental disorders or problems
About half of mental disorders begin
before the age of 14. Similar types of disorders are being reported across
cultures. Neuropsychiatric disorders are among the leading causes of worldwide
disability in young people. Yet, regions of the world with the highest
percentage of population under the age of 19 have the poorest level of mental
health resources. Most low- and middle-income countries have only one child
psychiatrist for every 1 to 4 million people.
Fact
2
Mental
and substance use disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide
About 23% of all years lost because
of disability is caused by mental and substance use disorders.
Fact
3
About
800 000 people commit suicide every year
Over 800 000 people die due to
suicide every year and suicide is the second leading cause of death in
15-29-year-olds. There are indications that for each adult who died of suicide
there may have been more than 20 others attempting suicide. 75% of suicides
occur in low- and middle-income countries. Mental disorders and harmful use of
alcohol contribute to many suicides around the world. Early identification and
effective management are key to ensuring that people receive the care they
need.
Fact
4
War
and disasters have a large impact on mental health and psychosocial well-being
Rates of mental disorder tend to
double after emergencies.
Fact
5
Mental
disorders are important risk factors for other diseases, as well as
unintentional and intentional injury
Mental disorders increase the risk
of getting ill from other diseases such as HIV, cardiovascular disease,
diabetes, and vice-versa.
Fact
6
Stigma
and discrimination against patients and families prevent people from seeking
mental health care
Misunderstanding and stigma
surrounding mental ill health are widespread. Despite the existence of
effective treatments for mental disorders, there is a belief that they are
untreatable or that people with mental disorders are difficult, not
intelligent, or incapable of making decisions. This stigma can lead to abuse,
rejection and isolation and exclude people from health care or support. Within
the health system, people are too often treated in institutions which resemble
human warehouses rather than places of healing.
Fact
7
Human
rights violations of people with mental and psychosocial disability are
routinely reported in most countries
These include physical restraint,
seclusion and denial of basic needs and privacy. Few countries have a legal
framework that adequately protects the rights of people with mental disorders.
Fact
8
Globally,
there is huge inequity in the distribution of skilled human resources for
mental health
Shortages of psychiatrists,
psychiatric nurses, psychologists and social workers are among the main
barriers to providing treatment and care in low- and middle-income countries.
Low-income countries have 0.05 psychiatrists and 0.42 nurses per 100 000
people. The rate of psychiatrists in high income countries is 170 times greater
and for nurses is 70 times greater.
Fact
9
There
are 5 key barriers to increasing mental health services availability
In order to increase the
availability of mental health services, there are 5 key barriers that need to
be overcome: the absence of mental health from the public health agenda and the
implications for funding; the current organization of mental health services;
lack of integration within primary care; inadequate human resources for mental
health; and lack of public mental health leadership.
Fact
10
Financial
resources to increase services are relatively modest
Governments, donors and groups
representing mental health service users and their families need to work
together to increase mental health services, especially in low- and
middle-income countries. The financial resources needed are relatively modest:
US$ 2 per capita per year in low-income countries and US$ 3-4 in lower
middle-income countries.
I have
several friends who suffer from mental illnesses and have found it to be
heartbreaking. One friend finds a good
psychiatrist only to find that her insurance no longer covers that doctor the
next time she wants to go back. Another
friend’s divorce was caused by her husband disagreeing with her decision to
discontinue meds because they left her in a zombie-like state. Those with mental illness and their families
never know when the person will have a lapse.
The uncertainty can be compared to someone suffering from Cancer, but
the stigma of it in our society makes it so much worse. That is why I chose to research this
topic. I was pleased to find information
on the internet that gives hope. There
are countries, such as Denmark, that have successful mental health services in
place. http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/may/14/mental-illness-happiest-country-denmark
There are
young people in the United States who are interested in changing the mental
health system in the United States. https.//beta.dosomething.org/facts/aa-facts-about-mental-health
References
Do something.org (2014) Eleven facts about
mental health. Retrieved from
https://beta.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-mental-health.
The Guardian (2014) Mental illness affects us all, even in the happiest
country on earth. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/may/14/mental-illness-happiest-country-denmark
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