Introduction
By 2017, more than ten percent (about 970 million ) of the world’s population had experienced some form of mental health disorder. Additionally, this statistic includes cases of drug and substance abuse. Mental health awareness is not wide spread in most communities.
As a matter of fact, this figure may not be very accurate because many mental health cases remain unreported due to lack of awareness. People fear to talk about mental health issues, identified cases are not sure of what to do; and available services are limited in both personnel and methodology. You may refer to this report by Hopechest.
At a glance, the top three mental health problems worldwide are Anxiety disorder which affects about 284 million reported cases. This is closely followed by Depression with about 264 million people. Next in the line is Alcohol use disorder where the reported cases are about 107 million people. This is as reported by SingleCare here.
A similar report indicates that about 77 million adults had an experience of mental health conditions in 2022.
In addition to that, the report further argues that lost productivity per year is about one trillion US dollars. This is majorly caused by depression and anxiety globally. Read more from Forbes Health here.
For us to reduce this prevalence of what is life-threatening there is a need to improve worldwide awareness and support.
Mental Health
Mental Health is a person’s condition of mental well-being about the way they reason, make judgments resulting from feelings, and how well they fit into their social setting. It has two dimensions: How an individual feels and how the individual functions in the society.
Mental Health Disorder
Mental Health Disorder refers to some behavioral pattern marked by interruptions in an individual’s reasoning, thinking, making judgments resulting from feelings, and how well they fit into their society. There is remarkable deterioration of personal functioning in normal day-to-day activities.
11 Stunning Mental Health Awareness Research Now Revealed For You
1. Lurking Mental Health issues are never openly talked about.
Those who experience the signs and symptoms of mental problems often deny or hide their struggles from others in the community. This is because of the severe social discrimination against people who have mental problems. Another key point is there is the associated stigma, and the lack of the right resources for help.
On the flip side, friends and family can be of great help if we engage in open and candid talk about the realities of mental problems. Above all, we need to talk and listen carefully to ourselves to identify any signs and symptoms to get help when needed. We should share among ourselves that mental health problems can affect anyone.
2. In Lavish Health Talk, Mental Health issues are always missing.
In society, we freely talk about heart problems, kidney health, cancer, blood pressure, and other health matters. Equally important, mental health has remained taboo. We are in the denial stage, not aware of the conditions, treatment options as well as the importance of mental health-related issues like other health problems.
At the same time, there are complains on some subreddits that expressed concerns are not believed but also labeled as clinically unrealistic.
3. Empower everybody with knowledge of warning signs of mental health illnesses.
Society undermines persons showing signs of mental ill-health. As a matter of fact, there is also the belief that persons with mental health problems are violent.
There’s need to educate people about the general signs of poor mental health. They should know that mental illnesses are treatable like any other. Members of the community should be observant for warning signs. Without doubt, this will help them to be able to call for help when needed.
4. Take a holistic approach to improve the mental well-being of everybody.
Encourage everybody to practice self-care and self-love. Significantly, there’s need to focus on our physical health because mental health problems may lead to physical health problems or vice versa. We can achieve all this by eating well and participating in physical exercises. This helps in the prevention of those associated health problems.
5. The causes and risk factors of Mental Health problems are not known.
There is no single factor isolated by research as the cause of mental illnesses. As a matter of fact, the available research has linked mental health problems to three factors as follows:
a). Biological factors
Mental illnesses can be inherited from parents (genetics); it could be a result of prenatal damage, brain defects or injuries, other infections as well as substance abuse. Other factors like poor nutrition and exposure to toxins may be a cause.
b). Psychological factors
Mental health problems could result from our psychological life experiences. Including severe psychological trauma (emotional, physical, sexual abuse) early in life, important early losses like the loss of a parent in childhood, child neglect, and poor ability to relate to others.
c). Social factors
Social life experiences could lead to mental health problems. In addition to that, when you get a divorce or as a reult of the death of a partner, there is a lot that happens to you which could lead to mental health problems.
Even more, we may also develop mental health problems when family life is dysfunctional. This is a family life characterized by conflict, chaos, neglect, abuse, or a combination of these factors.
As a result of what is happening to you at a certain moment, you may develop a feeling that you are not good enough; develop low self-esteem, anger, or loneliness within yourself. Such can lead to mental health problems.
6. Develop covert listening skills as you attend to family and friends
Listen to the way someone speaks. Some people mask their problems in jokes. Take care of that.
Secondly, pay close attention to someone sharing their problems with you. Show them that you care and remind them that you are here for them. It could easily lead them to confide in you.
7. Community members should participate in Mental Health awareness events.
In your community, if there is a local mental health support group, try to arrange with them to see if they could help to give the local community speech on mental health awareness. If you have service users in the community, create opportunities for them to share experiences with community members so that they know what it is like living with mental illness.
Arrange exchange visits between local groups of sufferers and survivors. This gives a feel about the fact that mental illnesses are treatable. Hold radio/TV talk shows and encourage people to get certified in Mental Health First Aid
8. Encourage people to take career paths in the Mental Health profession.
According to Legacy Community Health, the number of health workers in the mental health space is at times quoted by experts as “a public health crisis” for the case of the USA in particular. The national average (8.9/100,000) is far below what is needed.
Therefore, there is need to encourage local community members to seek career development in the mental health space so that such a crisis could be averted.
9. We must learn to use kind language when talking to people
In society today, there are many stigmatizing words when talking about mental health. We must avoid ridiculing persons who show signs of mental health problems. They need kindness and compassion. Let children and young people be respectful to them.
There are ways people with mental health problems may like to be called. The terms used are various. They may be called sufferers of mental health, survivors of mental health problems, mental health clients, consumers of mental health products, service users of mental health services, or others.
Do we say they have a mental illness or experience mental health problems or suffer from mental illness? Let us talk to them like they are real human beings and we call them what they prefer to be called. Flexibility is key.
10. Volunteer to take mental health screening test and share the results
It is not uncommon to find that someone may feel mental health illness indicators but fears to go and screen. If you start screening and sharing your results among friends on social media, many more may feel encouraged to do the test and share the results. This helps to reduce the related stigma. Mental health problems are more common than you may think. Gather a list of screening sites and share it on social media.
11. Openly talk about the availability and options for treatment.
Let people know that mental health problems are treatable. Let us make the whole community aware that there are people out there who have recovered from mental problems and have resumed normal life. They should be made aware of all the available options so that some reddit thread complains of abuse and traumatization by the psychiatric system or abandonment by friends and familymay be avoided.
Symptoms of mental health may appear in childhood, society pays no attention until later in life when it becomes violent attack, suicide, or other advanced forms of mental illness. This is the only moment of awareness.
Persons diagnosed with a mental health problems may feel ashamed. Yet the shame would not be there if the diagnosis revealed other sicknesses. We are mostly not aware that mental health problems are as common as the common cold.
Added to stigma, we have lack of availability and options for treatment.
Final thoughts.
The state of Mental Health Awareness worldwide is appalling. Not many people know the symptoms associated with poor mental health. They are also not aware of the signs/symptoms and the risk factors leading to poor mental health. They are unbothered about taking precautionary measures to prevent mental health problems. Identified mental health cases go unreported; they are not treated and thus leading to death.
People fear to talk about mental health illnesses due to the associated stigma. People identified to be sick do not know where to get help from and remain isolated. The most interesting part is that the available services are limited in approach. It is either therapy alone or medication alone.
