DEPRESSION-YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Mental Illness Is Common, But Too Often Not Treated

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, about one in five adults had a mental illness. Without a doubt, the pandemic has affected the state of mental health in our country and made mental illness even more common. It is rare that a family is not touched by a mental health condition, one that can interfere with your or a loved one’s ability to work, sleep, eat, and enjoy life.

Mental health disorders include anxiety, depression, seasonal effectiveness disorder, or more serious illnesses as bipolar disorder, major depression, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more. Unfortunately, most people with mental illness do not receive mental health services that they need.

People with mental illness can have symptoms that include a range of feelings, emotions, or experiences, including:

• Shifts in mood
• Sadness
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Low energy
• Delusions
• Hallucinations
• Sleep problems

Mental illness is not always easy to detect. Someone does not need to have all these symptoms, perhaps just one or two.

Treating a mental illness is not something to attempt on your own. Like many health conditions, help for mental illness takes professional diagnosis and treatment.

Treatment Works, Treatment Is Available

The good news: Research shows treatment for mental illness works. With appropriate treatment, people can manage their illness, overcome challenges, and lead productive lives.

Treatment for mental illness is effective. Mental health services also are covered by most health plans—by law. And like physical health conditions, it’s clear the earlier you get treatment for mental illness, the better—and the better you or your loved one will feel and do.

Unsure of how or where to start? Start here.

References and Relevant Resources:

• Early Serious Mental Illness Treatment Locator
• 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Learn About Mental Health | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• What is Mental Health? | Mentalhealth.gov
• Mental Health | MedlinePlus
• Health Topics | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• Mental Illness | NIMH
• Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder and Use of Mental Health Care Among Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, August 2020–February 2021 | CDC
• Living Well with Serious Mental Illness | SAMHSA
• Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator | SAMHSA