Welcome to Mental Health Week! This October, the Mental Health Council is reminding everyone that we are stronger together! Mental illness affects 23% of adults in the US, that’s 1 in 4 adults that have a mental disorder. This Mental Health Week, let’s work on replacing the stigma of mental illness with hope by understanding mental disorders and where they stem from. Read on to learn more.
#CureStigma: Understanding Mental Illness
What Causes Mental Illness- It could affect any person from any different background, religion, race, etc. No one is immune to mental illness.
Family history-If a family member has a mental health difficulty, others may be at higher risk.
Chemical balance-An imbalance of chemicals (called neurotransmitters) in the brain can cause symptoms of a mental illness to emerge. Most drugs used to manage mental health difficulties try to correct this balance. There is also research that suggests the behavior itself can cause the chemical change in the brain (as opposed to the chemical imbalance simply always being there).
Stressful life events- Things in life that cause stress, or an experience such as grief or loss, experiencing violence or a traumatic accident may trigger mental health problems.
Drugs- Research has shown that using drugs may lead to mental health problems. For example, there has been a link between psychosis and the heavy use of marijuana and amphetamines.
Different Types of Mental Problems- There are different types of mental illnesses that could affect you or a loved one.
- Depression
- Psychosis
- Schizophrenia
- Anxiety
- Attention deficit disorder
- Eating disorders
