Imagine being one of the 57 million persons in the United States with mental illness. Imagine the struggle or inability to function in home life, jobs and personal relationships. Imagine the shame and fear of your family realizing you have a mental illness and not knowing what to do about it until it is too late. Imagine the way people treat you and your family in your time of desperation and need.
May is Mental Health Awareness month, a time to recognize that mental illness exists. Professionals acknowledge brain chemistry imbalance may be due to heredity, excessive stress, substance abuse or a combination. Those who suffer from mental illness often experience hostility, discrimination and stigma from others rather than compassion and understanding. If you are a family with a loved one with mental illness, you understand too well this preventable circumstance.
Sadly, many health insurance plans do not cover mental illness. For those without health insurance, acute and severe episodes are handled through the hospital emergency rooms or arrest and incarceration. The act of suicide should be disturbing to all. In 2011, 284 people committed suicide in Idaho. To dramatize the effect, it is the equivalent of two fully-loaded 737 aircrafts crashing with no survivors.
The topic of mental illness is far-reaching and complex, considering the degree of severity for individuals. For many, a person must commit a crime to get services. Currently Idaho’s state prison system is the de facto treatment facility, where approximately 25 percent of state incarcerated individuals receive psychotropic medication.
Imagine a statewide mental health system where those afflicted with mental illness can access care in early stages and receive treatment. Imagine our society treating those with mental illness — adults and children — with dignity, respect and compassion. Imagine Idaho’s legislature making mental health a priority. Imagine no stigma associated with mental illness.
These are things to consider during Mental Health Awareness month.
Jim Rehder, Chair of Regional II Mental Health Board and UI Alumnus, can be reached at [email protected]
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Facts from Mental Health America 2013 newsletter:
One in four adults experience a mental health disorder in a given year. One in 17 adults live with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disorder, and about one in 10 children live with a serious mental or emotional disorder.
People with mental illnesses, like everyone else, have the potential to work at any level depending on their own abilities, experience and motivation.
Most people can lead productive lives within their communities thanks to a variety of supports, programs and/or medications.
People with mental illnesses can recover and resume normal activities.
The vast majority of people with mental illnesses are not violent. In the cases when violence does occur, the incidence typically results from the same reasons as with the general public such as feeling threatened or excessive use of alcohol and/or drugs.