People with mental illness have a hard time accessing mental health care, especially compared to physical health care.
In fact, worldwide, more than 70 percent of individuals with mental illness do not receive any mental health treatment.
Peer support specialists — those individuals with lived experience of mental illness and/or substance use disorder (SUD) — have been well-established in behavioral health interventions.
Their shared experience provides the credibility and understanding that help individuals with mental health and SUD challenges on their road to recovery.
When professionals interested in suicide prevention discuss suicide, a lot of data gets tossed around.
The suicide rate in the United States increased by 35 percent from 1999 to 2018. It is the 10th leading cause of death. Approximately 48,000 Americans die by suicide each year. However, there is one statistic that rarely sees the light of day.
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that one in four Americans aged 18 to 24 had thoughts of suicide in the prior 30 days has mental health stakeholders reeling: How could the numbers be that high, even during a pandemic?
That question led Beacon Health Options to interview additional experts on suicide prevention.
It is already an alarming statistic that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among Americans, and it’s only getting worse.
From 1999 to 2018, the suicide rate has increased by 35 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught you a lot about resilience as you work from home, while also managing your children, and possibly even educating them.
Consequently, you’ve learned a lot about yourself and your family. However, there may be one revelation that took you by surprise.
For those people who are both working and parenting from home, the COVID-19 pandemic has turned into the perfect storm.
Even during “normal” times, simultaneously being a spouse, parent and employee can feel difficult, and many may feel that they aren’t fulfilling those roles 100 percent.
When it comes to behavioral health care, the term “stigma” is often used to describe the shame or embarrassment some people feel about mental illness.
Therefore, addressing stigma is important because the very concept of shame makes it difficult for many individuals with mental illness to seek help.
Recognizing July as Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, there is no more appropriate time to talk about mental health disparities among minorities.
People of color continue to experience inequitable mental health care, and the solution to closing the gap is long overdue.