All month a group of authors have been participating in an education and awareness event on Facebook.
The event has included gift cards, book giveaways, and information about Mental Health.
The Facebook event is Authors Raising Mental Health Awareness
It can be difficult to link into Facebook Events, so to spread the word more we decided to include a post here on SGLS!
Information about the larger Mental Health Awareness events can be located at The National Alliance on Mental Illness or The National Institute of Mental Health.
You can Tweet with the hashtag #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #MentalHealthMonth or #stigmafree
FACTS & FIGURES:
- Mental Illness effects 1 in every 5 adults
- ONLY 60% of adults with serious mental illness received treatment in the last year. For children 8-15 that number is only 50%
- Depression is the most common cause of disability worldwide
- 18% of American Adults have an Anxiety Disorder
- 7% have Major Depression
- 1 in 25 American adults live with a serious mental illness
ANXIETY DISORDERS:
Anxiety disorders range from severe phobias to generalized Anxiety.
They are the most common in American Adults effecting 18% of the population. Not just regular fear, Anxiety is persistent, excessive fear or worry in situations that are not threatening.
MOOD DISORDERS:
Including Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar (Manic-Depressive Illness), mood disorders are the second most common mental illness’s in American adults.
Depression is the second most common single mental illness in America adults, effecting 7% of the population. More than just feeling down, depression can result in feelings of hopelessness, low self-esteem, and even suicidal thoughts or actions.
Bipolar Disorder often called Manic-Depressive affects 2.9% of the population, 83% of those cases are severe. A person with bipolar disorder may have distinct manic (up) or depressed (down) states. Severe bipolar episodes of mania or depression may also include psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions.
NAMI Bipolar Disorder Overview
OTHER COMMON DISORDERS:
Schizophrenia is perhaps the most misunderstood and feared mental illness. It affects 1% of American adults. Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and cognitive difficulties.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by repetitive, unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and irrational, excessive urges to do certain actions (compulsions). This disorder affects more than 2% of the population during their lives.
NAMI Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Overview
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD occurs after the experience of a traumatic event such as military combat, assault, or a natural disaster. PTSD affects 3.5% of American adults.
Be Stigma Free!
Smart Girls love SciFi 