MENTAL ILLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

MENTAL ILLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
by Kimberly Lapid

What is mental health?
Mental health is defined as an individual's emotional, psychological, and social well-being (What Is Mental Health?). It affects how a person thinks and feels about themselves, which also affects how they manage and cope with distressing situations (Bhugra, Till & Sartorius, 2013).

What is mental illness?
Similar to physical health, a person's mentality is also susceptible to illnesses. Mental illness affects an individual's mood, thinking, and behavior and is often associated with distress and problems with functioning in social, work, or familial activities. In America, four of the most common manifestations of mental illness in adults are anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. (Mental Health by the Numbers). According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 43.8 million adults experience mental illness in a given year and half of all chronic mental illnesses begin by the age of 14.

How does mental illness affect students?
Students are often put under situations of great stress and pressure on a consistent basis. In between worrying about school, work, and the future, young adults are generally not privy to much mental downtime. Between 2009 and 2015, anxiety was the most common problem among college students, affecting nearly 15% of students across the United States. Depression and panic attacks were the next most common issue among this specific demographic (Reinberg, 2018). Despite these high prevalence rates, however, Sontag-Padilla et al. (2018) stated that there is a significant gap between "the need for mental health treatment and the receipt of mental health services." Their research also states that 20%-36% of university students suffer from some form of psychological distress, but only about one-third of these students receive treatment despite having access to on-campus providers. This means that there are thousand of students nationwide who are suffering from some type of mental distress, but do not seek out help. One of the biggest reasons individuals are hesitant about seeking counseling is the stigma that is attached to mental illnesses. People believe those who have mental illness are often aggressive and volatile. They also tend to believe that in order for someone to be diagnosed with something such as depression or anxiety, they must have gone through a traumatic event. These assumptions are incorrect and perpetuate this stigma.

Why this matters to me

My mother is an Occupational Therapist who typically works with adult patients with mental illnesses. Ever since I was a child, she would bring me with her to work in order to introduce me to a multitude of different professions as well as many different types of people. I met with adults who were autistic, bipolar, and schizophrenic while I was still in kindergarten. This exposure allowed me to become comfortable with the types of people who were typically labeled as "weird," "scary," and potentially "dangerous" while also teaching me that there was nothing to be ashamed or scared about mental illnesses. More often than not, mental illness is stigmatized and the people who suffer from them demonized. Media portrayal of mental illness as well as outdated notions of normality force those who have these types of problems make it difficult for society to normalize the presence of these illnesses. 




Why this matters to the community

"I am very knowledgeable in regards to the mental health services that are available on campus. Since I have been a student assistant at the school for a total for almost four years, I am aware of the different events that the school organizes regarding mental health such as: mental health conferences and wellness week. The school offers plenty of resources for mental health, but I feel like students aren't utilizing them due to the stigma of mental health and the resources not being advertised adequately or effectively. Mental health awareness is important because anyone around us can be affected by it. Being educated on mental health can break the stigmas and teach people intervene and prevent further harm." (Christine Cadiente)

"I feel like the information is there for those who seek it. I don’t think there’s a significant emphasis on good mental health on campus though. I believe it’s more of an afterthought. I don’t think the health services available are advertised well enough. I think mental health awareness is extremely important and needs to be talked about more. It is still stigmatized in our society and I think educating more of the public will help. People will learn about themselves and others to create a healthier environment for mental health. It is vital for students especially to have positive mental health." (Celina Amaro)

"Mental health awareness needs to be prioritized. Especially in today’s society where we see so much problems arise, we can see that mental health is not something that’s frequently brought up and talked about. It needs to be prioritized so that people can be more aware that mental health is not a simple issue to be brush off on but it is indeed a serious issue. People need to know that it’s tangible and not something abstract as some people believe it to be majority of the time. Being more knowledgeable will help the public by being able to set up a method to effectively address and issues or concerns relating to mental health. It should never be considered a hassle to care for your mental health, I believe it’s essential as much as society makes other things be seen as essential in our life." (Angela Choi)

"Being a Psychology major allows me to perceive mental health in such way that others won’t be able to break down. My understanding and views on mental are different in many aspects due to studying how individuals act and perceive such things. Mental health can definitely have a huge impact in someone’s life, therefore people should take in consideration to learn more about it. Many people won’t understand the importance of mental health or view in a way that many psychology students do." (Rubi Guzman)

References

Bhugra, D., Till, A., & Sartorius, N. (2013). What is mental health? International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 59(1), 3-4. doi:10.1177/0020764012463315

Mental Health By The Numbers. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-By-the-Numbers

Reinberg, S. (2018). More College Students Seeking Mental Health Care. Retrieved from https://consumer.healthday.com/mental-health-information-25/anxiety-news-33/more-college-students-seeking-mental-health-care-738933.html

Sontag-Padilla, L., Dunbar, M. S., Ye, F., Kase, C., Fein, R., Abelson, S., . . . Stein. (2018). Strengthening College Students’ Mental Health Knowledge, Awareness, and Helping Behaviors: The Impact of Active Minds, a Peer Mental Health Organization. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 57(7), 500-507.

What Is Mental Health? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health