Anxiety Disorder, Depression Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa Disorder , or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are all well known mental disorders. These are considered mental disorders because they involve changes in emotion, thinking, or behavior as well as distress or problems functioning in social, work, or family activities according to the American Psychiatric Association. World Mental Health Awareness Day takes place on October 10 of every year in hopes of disbanding some of the stigmas surrounding mental illness. This year’s World Mental Health Association theme is “Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World.”  

A stigma is a negative reaction to a situation or quality. The reason it is important for mental illness to be destigmatized is because these associations can cause those who need to seek treatment to refuse on the basis of how other people might negatively react. People dealing with a mental illness are conditioned to think that they are inadequate to their ‘mentally healthy’ counterparts which leads to confusion and resentment to form with family, friends and coworkers.

Harold S. Koplewicz wrote an article titled, “7 Myths About Child Mental Health.” A few of the myths stated were, “A child with a psychiatric disorder is damaged for life,” and, “A child can manage a psychiatric disorder through willpower.” Both of these statements are damaging to those who have a disorder by, once again, stigmatizing how people view them.

In the United States suicide is one of the leading causes of death in adolescents 15 and up according to John Hopkins Medicine. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America states that, “Anxiety disorders affect 25.1% of children between 13 and 18 years old.” The statistics also show that one in four Americans have some type of mental disorder or illness. The Coffee County Central High School Senior class has approximately 400 students which means that 100 students suffer from a mental illness, such as anxiety, depression or O.C.D. The numbers are at a high percentage, and it is time that people understand.

If you or a friend is suffering from any kind of mental illness please seek help. It is not shameful nor does it in anyway make you less of a person. Contact an adult or your school counselor if you are unable to seek a doctor. If you need immediate help, call any of the following Mental Health Hotlines. Get help and be safe, mental illnesses are serious. 

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Crisis Text Line: Text “home” to 741741
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
• National Mental Health Association Helpline, 1-800-969-6642

Resources

American Psychiatric Association

Mayo Clinic

John Hopkins Medicine

World Health Organization

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Mental Health America

Anxiety And Depression Association of America