Just the Facts

Before I continued I wanted to post some facts on mental illness that I found online to help support education and acceptance.

* MYTH: Mental Health does not affect me
    FACTS (from 2014): 1 in 5 adults experience a mental health illness in their lifetime
                   1 in 10 young people experienced a period of major depression
                   1 in 25 Americans live with a serious mental illness
                   Suicide is the tenth most common cause of death.

MYTH: Children do not experience mental health issues.
  FACTS: Even very young children can show early warning signs of mental illness
                Half of all mental illnesses show first signs before the age of 14
                Three Quarters of mental disorders begin before age 24

MYTH: People with Mental Health problems are violent and unpredictable
FACTS: Only 3-5% of violent crimes can be linked to someone with a serious mental illness
               People with serious mental health issues are 10x more likely to be a victim of violent crime                      than thee common population

MYTH: People with mental health illnesses, even whe receiving proper treatment, cannot handle the stress of a job.
FACTS: Employers who hire people with mental health issues report good punctuality, attendance, motivation, good work, and job tenure equal to or greater than their neurotypical peers
.
MYTH: Personality weakness or personality flaws cause mental illness. A person with a mental illness can just snap out of it if they try.
FACTS: Many factors contribute to mental health including
                       Biological factors (genes, injuries, illness, etc)
                       Life Experience (Like a history of trauma or abuse)
                      Family history of mental health problems
              People with mental health issues can get better and even recover completely 

MYTH: There is no hope for people with mental health issues and they will never recover
FACTS: Studies show that people with mental health issues get better and many recover.

MYTH: Therapy and self help are a waste of time. Just take medicine.
FACTS: The individual treatment plan for someone with a mental health illness may include medication, therapy or both.

MYTH: I can't do something for a person with a mental health need.
FACTS: Only 44% of adults and 20% of youth with diagnosable mental heath issues receive the treatment they need. In this case, a good support system can be vital.

MYTH: Prevention does not help. It is impossible to prevent a mental illness.
FACTS: By promoting the social-emotional well being of youth outcomes include
                             Higher overall productivity
                             Better educational outcomes
                             Lower crime rate
                             Improved quality of life

US Department of Health and Human Services, Mental Health.gov