Mental Illness Awareness Week 2024

Every year, the first full week of October is Mental Illness Awareness Week, this year recognized from October 6-12. With an estimated over 1 in 5 American adults living with mental illness, taking the time to acknowledge resources and to understand the diversity of mental health is crucial.  

The National Institute of Mental Health and the National Alliance on Mental Illness recently published articles with statistics regarding the prevalence and treatment of mental illnesses, which include:  

•     As of 2022, 59.3 million U.S adults (23.1% of all adults) were diagnosed with mental illness (Mental Illness, 2024).
•     Of those 59.3 million adults, only 30 million (50.6%) received treatment for that mental illness (Mental Illness, 2024).
•     1 in 20 U.S adults experience serious mental illnesses every year (Mental Health, 2023).  
•     Of all U.S adults experiencing mental illnesses, those who are Non-Hispanic mixed or multiracial are the most prevalent at 34.9% (Mental Health, 2023).  
•     Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual adults are also highly prevalent among those with mental illnesses at 50.2% (Mental Health, 2023).
•     On average, there is an 11-year delay between the onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment (Mental Health, 2023).
•     Of those experiencing homelessness in the U.S, 21.1% of people have a serious mental health condition (Mental Health, 2023).  

Mental illness impacts those all around us, and often goes untreated for several reasons. People may not know where to go for help or may not have the means to receive certain types of assistance. They may believe they are alone or undeserving of help. Fortunately, there are several resources that are free or low cost, both online and locally. Hotlines and warmlines for those in crisis and those just needing to talk to someone are available online; they can be found at the following link: https://mhanational.org/im-looking-mental-health-help-myself.  Additionally, there are several resources throughout WNY that accept government-funded insurance programs, like Medicare, or charge based on what you can pay. These resources can be found at https://www.namibuffalony.org/treatment-resources/adult-treatment/.  

Further, Community Missions offers several mental health services. Our Mental Health Housing Services offer housing to allow those experiencing mental illness with transitional independent living options with a focus on recovery. Recovery Services include Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS), in which the participant works on setting goals and how to meet them with professional support. There is also a Drop-In Center (which also includes a warm line), Respite Services, and Transportation Services for recovery. These can be found at https://www.communitymissions.org/mental-health-recovery-services.  

In recognition of Mental Illness Awareness Week, there will also be an Interfaith Community Prayer Service for Mental Illness Recovery and Understanding on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.  

Julianna Struzik is a Niagara University Vincentian Scholar, volunteering at Community Missions. She is a senior Childhood Special Education major with minors in Literacy and American Sign Language/Deaf Studies from Waterloo, New York. At Community Missions, she often helps with completing research for future events, and she has loved her time there so far! When she is not in class or volunteering, Julianna participates in NU Soar Throats Acapella, the Zeta Chi chapter of Alpha Sigma Alpha, NU Players, NU Future Teachers Association, ASL Club, or her work as a student co-director in the NU Admissions Office.

 
References

Adult treatment. (n.d.). National Alliance on Mental Illness of Buffalo and Western New York. Retrieved October 4, 2024, from https://www.namibuffalony.org/treatment-resources/adult-treatment/

I'm looking for mental health help for myself. (n.d.). Mental Health America. Retrieved October 4, 2024, from https://mhanational.org/im-looking-mental-health-help-myself

Mental health by the numbers. (2023, April). National Alliance on Mental Illness. Retrieved October 4, 2024, from https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-by-the-numbers/

Mental health recovery services. (n.d.). Community Missions. Retrieved October 4, 2024, from https://www.communitymissions.org/mental-health-recovery-services

Mental illness. (2024, September). National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved October 4, 2024, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness