Do I need therapy? This is a question many people ask themselves during difficult times in their lives. When we begin to question our sanity or wonder whether we are being unreasonable, self-doubt can set in. When we feel we aren’t coping, we may start to engage in self-sabotaging behaviours. There are many situations that might bring up the question of whether we need to speak to someone about the experiences we are facing.
Therapy can be accessed even when you don’t feel you are losing the plot. Checking in with an objective professional can do wonders for your mental health and just getting things ‘off your chest’ can sometimes be all that you need to feel lighter and happier.
Mental health in the United States
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated one in five people in the United States live with mental illness. This equals an estimated 46.6 million people in 2017. Mental illness ranges in types and severity. Doctors usually classify mental illnesses as serious mental illness or any mental illness. The following is a report of how often a person experiences mental illness by illness type, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness:
Anxiety disorder: 19.1% (48 million people)
Bipolar disorder: 2.8% (7 million people)
Borderline personality disorder: 1.4% (3.5 million people)
Major depressive episode: 7.2% (17.7 million people)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder: 1.2% (3 million people)
Post-traumatic stress disorder: 3.6% (9 million people)
Schizophrenia: less than 1% (1.5 million people)
Facts about mental illness
For any adult who has a mental illness, women are more likely than men to struggle with mental illness. An estimated 22.3 percent of women have a mental illness while 15.1 percent of men have a mental illness in the United States.
Of the age groups for people with mental illness, those ages 18 to 25 were most likely to have a mental illness. The following is the information about age groups and mental illness from the National Institute of Mental Health:
Ages 18 to 25: 25.8%
Ages 26 to 49: 22.2%
Ages 50 and older: 13.8%
These statistics show that mental illness can affect a person at any stage in their life. It can also be a condition that affects a person throughout their lifetime.
Mental health in the UK and worldwide
- Mental health problems are one of the main causes of the overall disease burden worldwide.
- Mental health and behavioural problems (e.g. depression, anxiety and drug use) are reported to be the primary drivers of disability worldwide, causing over 40 million years of disability in 20 to 29-year-olds.
- Major depression is thought to be the second leading cause of disability worldwide and a major contributor to the burden of suicide and ischemic heart disease.
- It is estimated that 1 in 6 people in the past week experienced a common mental health problem
The most common mental health problems
- Mixed anxiety & depression is the most common mental disorder in Britain, with 7.8% of people meeting criteria for diagnosis.
- 4-10% of people in England will experience depression in their lifetime.
- Common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are distributed according to a gradient of economic disadvantage across society. The poorer and more disadvantaged are disproprotionately affected by common mental health problems and their adverse consequences.
- Mixed anxiety and depression has been estimated to cause one fifth of days lost from work in Britain.
- One adult in six had a common mental disorder.
The mental health test – do I need therapy?
If you are wondering whether you might need therapy, why not take this mental health test to find out more about your current mental state? CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE MENTAL HEALTH TEST
For more info: https://www.sanctuaryoftransformation.com/mental-health-self-test/
Photo by sebastiaan stam on Unsplash
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
