Who is likely to get a mental illness?
Certain factors may increase your risk of developing a mental illness, including: A history of mental illness in a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling. Stressful life situations, such as financial problems, a loved one's death or a divorce. An ongoing (chronic) medical condition, such as diabetes.
Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States. More than 50% will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime. 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year.
We take a life-course approach to mental health because good mental health begins in infancy. 20% of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year. 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24.
Annual prevalence of mental illness among U.S. adults, by demographic group: Non-Hispanic Asian: 13.9% Non-Hispanic white: 22.6% Non-Hispanic black or African-American: 17.3%
The exact cause of most mental disorders is not known, but research suggests that a combination of factors, including heredity, biology, psychological trauma, and environmental stress, might be involved.
Your genes and family history. Your life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse, especially if they happen in childhood. Biological factors such as chemical imbalances in the brain.
While most have good mental health, many older adults are at risk of developing mental disorders, neurological disorders or substance use problems as well as other health conditions such as diabetes, hearing loss, and osteoarthritis.
Young and Midlife Adults
The average age of onset for major depressive disorder is between 35 and 40 years of age. Onset in early adulthood may be linked with more depressive episodes, a longer duration of illness, and therefore a more difficult clinical course.
Impacting an estimated 300 million people, depression is the most-common mental disorder and generally affects women more often than men.
The prevalence of adults with a major depressive episode is highest among individuals between 18 and 25. 11.3% of adults who report two or more races have experienced a major depressive episode in the past year. 8.7% of women have depression. 5.3% of men have depression.
What is the biggest mental illness in the world?
Depression. In 2019, 280 million people were living with depression, including 23 million children and adolescents (1). Depression is different from usual mood fluctuations and short-lived emotional responses to challenges in everyday life.
Stress can cause mental health problems.
And it can make existing problems worse. For example, if you experience lots of stress, this might lead you to develop a mental health problem like anxiety or depression. Or a traumatic period of stress might lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Mental disorders are the result of both genetic and environmental factors. There is no single genetic switch that when flipped causes a mental disorder. Consequently, it is difficult for doctors to determine a person's risk of inheriting a mental disorder or passing on the disorder to their children.
- childhood abuse, trauma, or neglect.
- social isolation or loneliness.
- experiencing discrimination and stigma, including racism.
- social disadvantage, poverty or debt.
- bereavement (losing someone close to you)
- severe or long-term stress.
- having a long-term physical health condition.
While it isn't possible to stop all mental ill-health from developing, many mental health problems can be prevented with the right approach.
Scientists have long recognized that many psychiatric disorders tend to run in families, suggesting potential genetic roots. Such disorders include autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, major depression and schizophrenia.
It's not uncommon for someone to have a different mental age versus their chronological age. In fact, it was originally thought that the average mental age of adults was 16 — but was later found to be about 13.5.
Changes in the Aging Brain
Certain parts of the brain shrink, especially those important to learning and other complex mental activities. In certain brain regions, communication between neurons (nerve cells) may not be as effective. Blood flow in the brain may decrease.
While severe mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia usually develop in your teens or early 20s, they can be affected for the first time in later life. You can be treated with talking therapy or antipsychotic medication in the same way as younger people.
Family history and genetics
Genetics are known to play a significant role in depression. If you have a close family member, such as a parent or sibling with depression, you have a 2 to 3 times greater risk of developing depression than a person without a family history.
Which child is most likely to develop depression?
Both depression and anxiety tend to be higher in older children and teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17. An estimated 3.2 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the United States had at least one major depressive episode. This number represented 13.3% of the U.S. population aged 12 to 17.
The available data suggests that age three is the lowest threshold at which childhood depression appears, but that doesn't mean it can't be identified earlier or that there aren't risk signs earlier.
Compared to the general population, people with severe mental illness (SMI) have a poorer health status and a higher mortality rate, with a 10-20 year reduction in life expectancy. Only a minority of premature deaths are attributable to unnatural causes, such as suicide, homicides or accidents, while the vast ...
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children.
Depression is among the most treatable of mental disorders. Between 80% and 90% percent of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment.
Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Depression can occur at any age. Some mood changes and depressed feelings occur with normal hormonal changes. But hormonal changes alone don't cause depression.
Research suggests that continuing difficulties – long-term unemployment, living in an abusive or uncaring relationship, long-term isolation or loneliness, prolonged work stress – are more likely to cause depression than recent life stresses.
Women suffer more stress than men because their response to stress is different. Women have a completely different hormonal system, which as a result causes them to react more emotionally and become more exhausted on an emotional level.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. But anxiety disorders are treatable and a number of effective treatments are available. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.
Serious Mental Illness (SMI) – SMI is a smaller and more severe subset of mental illnesses; SMI is defined as one or more mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder(s) resulting in serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities (NIMH).
What is the most common mental illness in youth?
Facts about mental disorders in U.S. children. ADHD, anxiety problems, behavior problems, and depression are the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children.
Mental and substance use disorders are common globally
In the map we see that globally, mental and substance use disorders are very common: around 1-in-7 people (15%) have one or more mental or substance use disorders.
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Figure 2.
| Demographic | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 46.2 | |
| Sex | Female | 51.2 |
| Male | 37.4 | |
| Age | 18-25 | 42.1 |
Research conducted and funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has found that many mental disorders are caused by a combination of biological, environmental, psychological, and genetic factors.
1 in 5 adults in America experience a mental illness. Nearly 1 in 25 (10 million) adults in America live with a serious mental illness. One-half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14; three-quarters by the age of 24.
Depression. Impacting an estimated 300 million people, depression is the most-common mental disorder and generally affects women more often than men.
Don't use: “Mentally ill person” or “Person who is mentally ill” Instead, use: “Person with a mental illness” or “Person living with a mental health issue”
Myth: Mental health problems don't affect me.
One in five American adults experienced a mental health issue. One in 6 young people experienced a major depressive episode. One in 20 Americans lived with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.
5 percent of adults (18 or older) experience a mental illness in any one year, equivalent to 43.8 million people. Of adults in the United States with any mental disorder in a one-year period, 14.4 percent have one disorder, 5.8 percent have two disorders and 6 percent have three or more.
Mental disorders are the result of both genetic and environmental factors. There is no single genetic switch that when flipped causes a mental disorder. Consequently, it is difficult for doctors to determine a person's risk of inheriting a mental disorder or passing on the disorder to their children.
What percentage of people have depression?
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Figure 1.
| Demographic | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Race/Ethnicity | 2 or More | 15.9 |
