This national health observance educates people about the signs, symptoms and treatment of depression, while promoting confidential, anonymous depression screenings that can identify whether individuals should seek assistance.
- Key depression symptoms include persistent feelings of sadness or emptiness, an inability to take pleasure in things previously enjoyed, and difficulty performing normal daily activities. Feeling often fatigued, and experiencing appetite and/or weight changes, may also occur.
- Clinical depression is a serious medical condition that can derail daily life if left untreated. It also can lead to self-harm and/or suicide.
- Depression and anxiety disorders are sometimes still viewed as conditions to hide. When people come together to learn about mental health conditions, it helps reduce negative stigmas.
Access a free, confidential mental health screening at one of these organizations:
–Mental Health America: screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools/depression
–The Anxiety & Depression Association of America: adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/ask-and-learn/screenings/screening-depression
–PsychCentral: psychcentral.com/quizzes/depression-quiz
The pandemic has, and continues to, take its toll on our mental health, the ability to reconnect through World Mental Health Day 2022 will provide us with an opportunity to re-kindle our efforts to protect and improve mental health.
The theme for World Mental Health Day 2022 as ‘Make Mental Health & Well- Being for All a Global Priority’ aims at encouraging and facilitating greater collaboration between governments, citizens and planners so that effective processes can be established to deliver mental health and well-being services to the entire global community.
Here are some important facts to know:
- 21% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2020 (52.9 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults.
- Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide.
- Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-14 and the 3rd leading cause of death among those aged 15-24 in the U.S.
- Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death overall in the U.S.
- 1 in 10 people under age 18 experience a mental health condition following a COVID-19 diagnosis.
- 1 in 5 U.S adults report that the pandemic had a significant negative impact on their mental health.
- 155 million people live in a designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Area.
- 6.7% of U.S. adults experienced a co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness in 2020 (17 million people).
Remember, mental illness does not discriminate. Join us to help bring attention to the importance of sharing mental health stories and help improve the lives of millions of Americans living with a mental illness.
Visit MagellanHealthcare.com/about/bh-resources/mymh or call your program for confidential mental health resources.