Last month, millions of Americans acknowledged significant public health observances—National Recovery and Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Both September events shine a light on mental illness and behavioral health disorders. When people do not receive the help they need or don’t feel safe asking for assistance, the risks are high.
As we pointed out in previous posts, mental illness and addiction accompany each other often. Moreover, mental health disorders and mind-altering substances play a role in suicides regularly. Our readers may remember the statistic that alcohol is involved in more than one-third of suicides.
We also remind our readers that recovery is possible, and suicide is preventable, provided men and women get help. Evidence-based therapies can change the course of a person’s life and get them on the road to lasting recovery. If someone you care about is currently struggling with addiction or co-occurring mental illness, please contact Pacific Shores to learn more about how we can help.
Seeking help is a sure path toward healing. Nobody recovers from addiction or mental illness alone. The millions of men and women in recovery make progress by working together, both with one’s peers and professional guidance.
While Recovery Month and Suicide Prevention Awareness Month have come to an end, the mission continues with Mental Illness Awareness Week. During the first week of October, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and participants across the country raise awareness of mental illness to combat stigma and misunderstanding.
Stigma often stands in between people afflicted by mental illness and treatment. Millions of men and women are made to think that they must combat their symptoms alone, even though treatment works, and recovery is possible. We ask that you be an active participant in the fight against harmful stigmas and misconceptions during this time.
Mental Illness Awareness Week 2020
Mental health disorders do not discriminate. Men, women, and teenagers from all walks of life struggle with mental illness. Roughly 40 million adults in the U.S. live with anxiety and depression. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Globally, more than 264 million people of all ages struggle with depression. The organization adds:
- One billion people are living with a mental health disorder.
- Three million people die every year from the harmful use of alcohol.
- One person dies every 40 seconds by suicide.
Here in the U.S, one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness. Among American adults, 19 percent struggle with anxiety and seven percent battle depression. With so many individuals living with mental illness, we must open up a dialogue about these treatable conditions.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness would like your help in raising awareness about mental health. There are several ways you can help, such as sharing your story or valuable information on social media.
Men and women in recovery from mental and behavioral health disorders can do an excellent service by participating in Mental Illness Awareness Week. Encouraging others to seek assistance is of vital importance because so many people are suffering in silence. Their mental health deserves attention and care, and you can empower those struggling to seek help.
Sharing your experience can have a ripple effect; your story may resonate with an individual who is reticent to seek assistance for depression, anxiety, or any mental illness. Posting informative graphics about mental health disorders will force those who harbor stigmatizing views to change their opinion.
National Depression Screening Day and World Mental Health Day
Today (October 8, 2020) is National Depression Screening Day. If you or someone you care about have been experiencing symptoms of depression for at least two weeks, it’s vital to seek help immediately.
The longer one goes without treatment, the worse the symptoms get. What’s more, self-medicating with drugs and alcohol will only worsen one’s symptoms and potentially result in the development of a use disorder. Mental Illness Awareness Week concludes with World Mental Health Day (October 10, 2020).
The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on developed nations to invest more heavily in mental health services. WHO points out that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted billions of people and that the global health crisis is negatively affecting people’s mental health.
“World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for the world to come together and begin redressing the historic neglect of mental health,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “We are already seeing the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s mental well-being, and this is just the beginning. Unless we make serious commitments to scale up investment in mental health right now, the health, social and economic consequences will be far-reaching.”
Orange County Addiction Treatment
Please contact Pacific Shores Recovery to learn more about the programs and services we offer. For more than 20 years, we have helped individuals get on the path toward lasting recovery. We are available around the clock to answer any of your questions; please call us today at (949) 574-2510.
