May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which is, more or less, a time to learn more about and support those who have mental illnesses not only in the U.S., but across the globe. Exactly how many people worldwide experience life with a mental disorder, though? More specifically, what percentage of people in the U.S. have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, etc.? The answers to these questions, and more, are as follows…

First of all, how many people in the world currently have mental illnesses/disorders? According to www.who.int, the number is “Around 450 million, placing mental disorders among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide.” Based on the information given, it’s quite clear to see that mental illnesses affect a great amount of people on a global scale. And, in terms of the U.S. alone, “1 in 5…adults will experience a mental condition in their lifetime.”

Now, what number of people, namely adults in the United States have, to be a bit more particular, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, etc.? Www.nami.org lists the specifics on these illnesses and on others, as well, which are as follows: 18.1 % of adults in the U.S. have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, (This includes GAD, OCD, Social-Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Phobia, and PTSD.) 2.6% of adults in the U.S. have Bipolar Disorder, 1.1% of adults in the U.S. suffer from schizophrenia, 6.9 % of adults in the U.S. have major depression, and 11% of youth in the U.S. have been diagnosed with mood disorders.

The website listed above (www.nami.org) also includes a Helpline phone number at the bottom of the page: (800)950-6264.

That’s not all, though! According to www.mentalhealthamerica.net, “There are more than 2oo classified forms of mental illness,” including Bulimia Nervosa, Insomnia, Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder, various phobias, etc. One website also mentions a very crucial point when it comes to the discussion of mental health: “Mental illnesses are treatable health conditions very common in the world today. They can affect anyone…”

Though sometimes it’s easy to overlook the gravity of mental disorders, it’s important for us to realize just how common they really are and how important it is to be aware that they exist.

Looking for additional information on Mental Health Awareness Month, or on Mental Health in general? Feel free to check out www.mentalhealthamerica.net and maywww.mentalhealth.gov for more!