May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Here Are Some Facts and Information

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and I’ve spent a significant amount of time deciding what, if anything, I should share. I’ve come to realize that so many people stay silent because of the stigma that still exists in today’s society, largely due to a lack of understanding.

I've struggled with Anxiety Disorder, ADHD, and Depressive Disorder for as long as I can remember. I've been in and out of therapy since elementary school, and on medication for nearly a decade. I've completed TMS therapy, spent 9 weeks in a Partial Hospitalization Program, and had two inpatient stays. My recovery has been significant, but it wasn't easy. Finding the right medication regimen took lots of trial and error, and finding the right therapist for me took time. Managing school, work, and treatment was a challenge. While mental illness can't be cured, I'm proof that it can be treated.

Here are some facts about mental illnesses that I want to share, all coming directly from NAMI, SAMHSA, and Mental Health America: 

• Mental illness is a broad term that includes many different conditions affecting mood, thinking, behavior, or emotional regulation.

• Many factors can lead to mental illness, including genetics, physical illness or injury, and traumatic life experiences.

• Mental illnesses are health conditions, not personality flaws or signs of weak character. They arise from a complex mix of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.

• Mental illness is not always visible.

In the U.S.:

• The number of U.S. adults with anxiety disorders: 42.5 million

• The number of U.S. adults with major depression: 22.5 million

• The number of U.S. adults who attempted suicide: 1.6 million people

• 54.7% of U.S. adults with mental illness did not receive any mental health treatment

• To learn how to get support for mental health, drug, and alcohol issues, visit FindSupport.gov.

• To locate treatment facilities or providers, visit FindTreatment.gov or call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357).

Treatments Include:

• Therapy

• Mental Health Medications

• ECT, TMS, Spravato, and/or IV Ketamine

• Intensive Outpatient Programs, Partial Hospitalization Programs

• Inpatient Psychiatric Unit Stays/Residential Facilities

Learn More:

• https://www.nami.org 

• https://mhanational.org 

• https://mentalhealthvirginia.org 

• https://www.samhsa.gov 

• https://www.psychologytoday.com

Remember: YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Help is out there. If you’re experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 988 or go to your nearest emergency department. You are so loved.