Mental Health Issues Affect All Communities

Nearly 50% of adults experience a mental illness at some point in their lives. More than half of these people experience moderate to severe symptoms. In fact, 4 of the 10 leading causes of disability among people aged 5 and older are mental health disorders, with depression being the number one cause of all illnesses that cause disability. Despite this high prevalence of mental illness, only about 20% of people who have a mental illness receive professional help. Although tremendous advances have been made in the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses, the stigma surrounding them persists. For example, people with mental illness may be blamed for their illness or viewed as lazy or irresponsible. Mental illness may be seen as less real or less legitimate than physical illness, leading to reluctance on the part of policy makers and insurance companies to pay for treatment. However, the growing realization of how much mental illness affects health care costs and the number of lost work days is changing this trend. If you like my videos, please share and subscribe to the 411 talk zone radio show on Youtube. Tune into the 411 talk zone radio show with host Leon Jones from 6 pm to 8 pm Eastern Time. Guest call in number is 215-383-5785.