Resource • Article
Mental Health Awareness, Part 1: #B4Stage4
1 in 5 American adults will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year.
50% of Americans will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition sometime in their life, and half of those people will develop conditions by the age of 14.
If those stats were in reference to a life changing physical ailment, would you be prompted to check your own health? Encouraged to ask a family member about theirs?
Have you thought about getting screened for a mental health condition or have you ask your loved ones to do so?
If your answers were yes and no, respectively, ask yourself why? Is it because you think mental health conditions aren’t as important? Is it the lack of physical evidence such as a blood test or diagnostic scan available to reinforce the data and possible severity? We have been conditioned to take care of our physical health while addressing mental health is still very taboo.
Mental health conditions should be addressed long before they reach the most critical points in the disease process—before Stage 4. Many people do not seek treatment in the early stages of mental illnesses because they don’t recognize the symptoms. Up to 84% of the time between the first signs of mental illness and first treatment is spent not recognizing the symptoms. That’s why this year Mental Health America has made early screening the focus of Mental Health Month: #B4Stage4.
This May Biorasi is joining MHA in raising awareness of the important role mental health plays in our lives and encouraging members of the community to learn more about their own mental health and to take action immediately if they are experiencing symptoms of a mental illness.
Mental illnesses are not only common; they are treatable. There are a wide variety of treatment options for mental illnesses ranging from talk therapy to medication to peer support. There is no one-size fits all treatment and it may take some time for a person to find the right treatment or combination of treatments that works best. Proper diagnosis and drug application may yield truly amazing and life changing results.
Click here to get screened. If you, or your loved ones, could screen for cancer or diabetes by answering a few questions, you would. A screening is not a diagnosis, but it can be a helpful tool for starting a conversation with your doctor or a loved one about your mental health. Don’t ignore the significance of mental health.
