How Common Are Mental Health Problems and Mental Disorders?
Everyone at some point during his/her life will experience circumstances that might lead to mental health problems, and for some, mental disorders. Examples of circumstances that would certainly challenge an individual’s mental health include relationship loss, health related problems, death of a family/friend, being laid off from work, or experiencing a traumatic and abusive life experience (rape, assault, robbery). An important thing to keep in mind is that no individual or community is unaffected by mental health problems and mental disorders.
Statistics
- Roughly 26% of adults (18 yrs of age or older) living in the U.S. experience a diagnosable mental disorder (National Institute for Mental Health, 2007) .
- In 2004, close to 32,000 individuals in the U.S. died from suicide (NIMH, 2007).
- In 2002, 154 million individuals were managing depression and another 106 million were struggling with alcohol or substance abuse problems (World Health Organization).
- Approximately 900,000 individuals were reported to have died from suicide in 2007 (WHO).
When looking at mental disorders, specifically, we know that mental disorders impact people of all ages, backgrounds, and cultural identities. While the above statistics are alarming and suggest mental disorders is a major concern across the world, it is widely known that the majority of mental disorders are under-diagnosed and untreated, resulting in millions of people receiving no treatment for their concerns.
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