World Mental Health Day, A Human Right, News In Progress

Life is rough. We’re sharing an array of information about the importance of our collective mental health.

What are you doing to make someone else’s life easier?

The theme for World Mental Health Day 2023 is ‘Mental health is a universal human right.’ This subject emphasises the necessity of assuring that everyone, regardless of age, socioeconomic class, or background should have access to high-quality mental health care and support.

How to improve mental health in young adults

The young population in India require extra care and support for their mental health for a variety of reasons. There are various methods to support and safeguard their mental health, including:

1. Creating awareness:

Every age group needs to learn more about mental health. It can help create a positive environment in the society as a whole.

2. Creating a safe space:

It’s crucial to create an environment that is safe and encourages individuals to talk about their mental health.

3. Accessible and inexpensive mental health treatments:

The provision of accessible and inexpensive mental health treatments, such as peer support, therapy, medication, and counselling can be very impactful.

4. An overall positive environment:

Children as well as young adults should be given the chance to express themselves, make choices, follow their passions and realise their objectives. Additionally, they should also be helped to manage stress, and challenges.

HOW CAN WE WORK TOWARDS FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH GOALS?

WHAT ABOUT THIS WORK LIFE BALANCE THING?

A work-life balance cycle requires constant awareness and implementation of healthy practices to ensure you can enjoy your professional and personal life while recognizing that this balance ebbs and flows. A work-life balance achievement isn’t usually a feasible reality, as it suggests that you find an equilibrium and stay there. A work-life balance is a cycle, not a one-time achievement, a constant practice. And this cycle is full of trial and error and learning opportunities. Certain strategies might be effective temporarily, but continually making changes and reaching different goals forces us to adapt. Adaptability is an important skill for all areas of life — especially this one.

If you’re an overachiever who’s looking to balance your ambitions with a healthy work-life balance cycle, here are some tips to follow:

Don’t forget to make time for yourself
Include self-care into your routine
Learn how to say “no” to certain things
Schedule breaks for yourself away from work
Remind yourself that work-life harmony and work-life balance can co-exist

WHAT ABOUT SPECIFIC AT RISK COMMUNITIES?

67% of LGBTQ young people reported experiencing anxiety symptoms and 54% reported experiencing depression.
Of the more than 28,000 LGBTQ young people surveyed, 81% want mental health care. Only 44% of those who sought mental health care could access it.

Support Homepage

2023 Key Findings

In 2019-2020, 20.78% of adults were experiencing a mental illness. That is equivalent to over 50 million Americans.
The vast majority of individuals with a substance use disorder in the U.S. are not receiving treatment. 15.35% of adults had a substance use disorder in the past year. Of them, 93.5% did not receive any form of treatment.
Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals. The percentage of adults reporting serious thoughts of suicide is 4.84%, totaling over 12.1 million individuals. 11% of adults who identified with two or more races reported serious thoughts of suicide in 2020 – 6% higher than the average among all adults.
Over 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life. 16.39% of youth (age 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year. 11.5% of youth (over 2.7 million youth) are experiencing severe major depression.
Over half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals. Even in Montana (ranked #1), over 4 in 10 adults with a mental illness did not receive care.
Almost a third (28.2%) of all adults with a mental illness reported that they were not able to receive the treatment they needed. 42% of adults with AMI reported they were unable to receive necessary care because they could not afford it.
10.8% (over 5.5 million) of adults with a mental illness are uninsured. Hispanic adults with AMI were least likely to have health insurance, with 19% reporting they were not covered by insurance.
6.34% of youth in the U.S. reported a substance use disorder in the past year. That is equivalent to over 1.5 million youth in the U.S. who meet the criteria for an illicit drug or alcohol use disorder.
22.87% of adults who report experiencing 14 or more mentally unhealthy days each month were not able to see a doctor due to costs. In Georgia (ranked 51), over one-third of adults experiencing frequent mental distress are unable to afford a doctor’s visit.
59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment. Asian youth with major depression were least likely to receive specialty mental health care, with 78% reporting they did not receive mental health services in the past year. In South Carolina, the lowest ranking state, nearly 8 in 10 youth with depression do not receive care.
Nationally, only 28% of youth with severe depression receive some consistent treatment (7-25+ visits in a year). Most (57.3%) youth with severe depression do not receive any care.
Nationally, 1 in 10 youth who are covered under private insurance do not have coverage for mental or emotional difficulties – totaling over 1.2 million youth. In Arkansas (ranked 51), nearly one-quarter of youth with private insurance do not have coverage for mental health care.
Only .718 percent of students are identified with emotional disturbance for an individualized education program (IEP). IEPs, with sufficient resources for schools and teachers, are critical for ensuring that youth with disabilities can receive the individualized services, supports, and accommodations to succeed in a school setting.
In the U.S., there are an estimated 350 individuals for every one mental health provider. However, these figures may actually be an overestimate of active mental health professionals, as it may include providers who are no longer practicing or accepting new patients.