Be aware of mental health issues

It is estimated roughly one in four, 61.5 million, American adults experience a mental illness in any given year, with approximately 13.6 million people living with more debilitating mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disorder.

Nearly 20 percent of 13 to 18 year olds experience severe mental illness in any given year, according to the National Alliance for Mental Illness. Even more staggering, however, is that only a portion of those American receive a clinical diagnosis and only 60 percent of adults and 50 percent of youth are receiving treatment for their illness.

What impact does not receiving treatment for mental illness have on a community? Youth who do not receive treatment for mental illness have the highest dropout rate of any other group with a disability at nearly 50 percent. Adults with untreated mental illness have high rates of chronic health issues which lead them, on average, to die 25 years earlier than other Americans.

Lastly, sadly, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S. (more common than homicide) and the third leading cause of death for ages 15 to 24 years. More than 90 percent of those who die by suicide have had at least one mental health disorder, according to NAMI.

Substance use disorders and other mental illness tend to coincide. In some cases, people with mental illness may turn to substances as a form of self-medicating. Those substances may actually worsen the condition or trigger onset of symptoms of some illnesses, such as schizophrenia.

Do you know someone dealing with mental illness or do you think you may be experiencing symptoms of mental illness? To seek help from ASAC, visit www.asac.us or call (319) 390-4611. For more information about the National Alliance for Mental Illness, visit www.namiiowa.com.

Take time this month to learn more about mental illness and consider what you can do to help those in need. Remember, when 'I” is replaced with 'we”, even illness becomes wellness.

' Erin Foster is Linn County Director of Prevention at the Area Substance Abuse Council. Comments: efoster@asac.us; 319-390-1884 Ext: 213