According to the National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI) one in five U.S. adults live with any mental illness. Although linked to most violent crimes, mental illness is almost never associated with violence. This misperception has created an American Mental Health Precipice that has taken on a life of its own.
The prevalence of any mental illness was higher among lesbian, gay and bisexual adults (44%)
The prevalence of any mental health disease was depression and anxiety disorders. (8% & 19%)
The prevalence of those diagnosed with a mental health disorder and received treatment are highest among whites (50%) compared to those of Blacks (23%) and Asians (23%).
In 2021, America has experienced 132 mass shootings. Studies show that the large majority of people with serious mental illnesses are never violent, but the media continues to link violent acts with mental illness, which can be detrimental to the work that so desperately needs to be done as a whole. In addition, the overall contribution of people with serious mental illness to violent crimes is only about 3%. When these crimes are examined in detail, an even smaller percentage of them are found to involve firearms.
As mental health advocates station in readiness, a global mental health crisis emerges from the ravaging claws of the Covid-19 pandemic. Among the most common mental health conditions facing us globally are depression, anxiety and suicide, increasingly among the young populations. Suicide is second leading cause of death for ages 10-34, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Unfortunately, many parents have reported an increase in anxiety and depression since the beginning of the pandemic, an alarming pandemonium for the world.