Untreated mental illness remains a serious health concern

The number one cause of disability in young people, and one of the most pervasive causes of suffering in the world is untreated mental illness. May 20-26 is Schizophrenia Awareness Week, a week designed to build public discourse about the importance of being open and honest about brain disorders and the massive role they play in our day-to-day lives. At any given time, 26.2 percent of Americans 18 and over suffer from serious, diagnosable mental illnesses, with 6 percent having significant problems functioning in daily life. \nAmong you and three of your closest friends and family members, which one is diagnosed with a mental illness? Everyone has a close friend or family member with a serious mental illness, no exceptions. They either feel safe enough to tell you about the problem, or they are afraid to tell anyone. \nWith all we know about medicine, science and treatment, these people do not need to be suffering so greatly. But because society is too cowed to publicly discuss mental illness, these people suffer in silence without access to treatment. Fifty years ago, people “dealt” with cancer by pretending it didn’t happen. Now we publicly discuss it and publicly talk about how to treat it. But we currently take that same archaic approach to mental illness, and there is no need for so many to suffer from mental disabilities now that there are so many effective treatments.\nMedical knowledge doubles roughly every seven years. In 20 years, we will know eight times as much about how to treat brain disorders as we do now. But as long as we still pretend nobody is mentally ill and shame those who are, we will continue to dissuade people from getting treated. What is the point of knowing how to effectively treat brain disorders if nobody will admit to having one? \nSo I will be the first of thousands of Bloomington residents with a mental illness to admit that I have a brain disorder, I have schizophrenia. However, due to medication and several complementary treatments, my disease is either symptom-free or tolerably mild. I live a full life, but had I not been brave enough to admit to myself that I have a disease and need help, I know I would be in much worse shape. \nSo what can be done? Donate to The Mental Health Research Association, wear a silver ribbon, support National Alliance on Mental Health and the National Institute of Mental Health, and make your friends and family feel safe enough seek help. Mental illness does not need to be the cause of disability and suffering that we have made it by discouraging public discourse and treatment. \nI am constantly amazed by how many clinical treatments exist for schizophrenia. But if I were not willing to admit to myself or anyone else that I suffer from the disease, I could not be out researching it, and I would be suffering alone and in silence.