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A disease causing hurt from within
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, situated in Toronto, Canada, most people don’t understand “just how big, onerous, and potentially damaging the crisis is.” Hundreds of millions of people all around the world are suffering from mental illnesses. This sheer number is why mental illnesses collectively are the “leading cause of disability worldwide.” In Canada alone, about half of the population will have had a mental illness at least once by the time they reach 40 years old.
The statistics and data are simply stunning. Typically, when we envision powerful but destructive forms of diseases, we think of physical pain and cancer. However, mental illnesses in some ways affect even more people, and truly, nobody is immune to it.
The consequences of mental illnesses on society
Did you know that “nearly 500,000 employed Canadians” are prevented from attending work simply because of mental illness? However, when employees stay home because of mental illness, their cost of leave is double compared to physical illness. In general, the economic burden of mental illness in Canada is huge, since it leads to a smaller workforce, less productivity, and yet rising health care coverage costs spent by the companies or government. Approximately 51 billion dollars are lost each year in the Canadian economy due to mental illness.
The adverse economic impacts, however, are nothing compared to the sufferings individuals with mental illness go through. Especially due to the plethora of other health conditions mental illness can lead to. Some common tragic outcomes of severe mental illness include drug overdoses, suicides, and the development of chronic diseases.
What’s more, mental illness affects children and adults alike, and believe it or not, approximately “75% of children with mental disorders do not have access to specialized treatment services.” This is awful, as children are often more fragile psychologically as adults; especially for many teenage children, as they grow up constantly battling mental health issues, it increases the chance of them not getting their best life in the future. This is a serious crisis that should be resolved by the general population and government alike.
Ways we can respond
On the individual/personal scale, the American Psychological Association (APA) offers many useful pieces of advice. For example, the first step individuals can take to address negative mental health conditions is to detect them. Often, we all are so consumed by the events happening in our day-to-day lives that we do not notice the building pain growing inside. Some common signs of emotional crisis include neglect of personal hygiene, significant weight gain or loss, dramatic change in sleep habits, or withdrawal from routine activities. All of these are “abrupt changes in behavior,” so if we take the moment to attempt to perceive them, we very possibly will.
From here on, it is just important to reach out to another trusted individual and talk about the concerns and late changes to the personal life. Seeking professional help is also a real alternative, offering the ability to completely “get that problem under control.” Psychologists are usually trained to be experts in treating various complex emotional problems. Whoever you are speaking to, however, just make sure the other person can be supportive and non-judgmental about your experiences, and will not criticize harshly in any way.
Conclusion
According to experts, the most effective method of combating the mental crisis around the world is by doing so at an individual and personal level. This includes reaching out to those in need of help as quickly as possible and providing much-needed emotional support. To a certain degree, everyone will undergo some kind of emotional trauma. This is precisely why everyone can play a part in combating this crisis. Whether you are suffering from a mental health illness, or know someone who is, always remember that recognition of the problem and communication with others are the most important steps to take.
