Posted May 12th, 2015
By Kris Powers
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, each year over 60 million Americans experience some form of mental illness. That’s one in four adults! Millions more are touched by mental illness in the lives of family, friends and loved ones. Mental health awareness month serves to highlight the important issues: to improve access to treatment, to fight the stigma around mental health, to provide support, to educate the public and to advocate for equal care.
Mental Health America is one organization that is working to raise awareness about mental illness and the importance of mental wellness for all. This year’s theme is B4Stage4 and will focus on how people can address their mental health early, rather than at "Stage 4" - when symptoms are more severe, and recovery a longer process.
According to Mental Health America, these are the four stages of a mental health condition:
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Stage 1 Mild Symptoms and Warning Signs |
At Stage 1, a person begins to show symptoms of a mental health condition, but is still able to maintain the ability to function at home, work or school—although perhaps not as easily as before they started to show symptoms. Often there is a sense that something is “not right.” |
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Stage 2 Symptoms Increase in Frequency and Severity and Interfere with Life Activities and Roles |
At Stage 2, it usually becomes obvious that something is wrong. A person’s symptoms may become stronger and last longer or new symptoms may start appearing on top of existing ones, creating something of a snowball effect. Performance at work or school will become more difficult, and a person may have trouble keeping up with family duties, social obligations or personal responsibilities. |
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Stage 3 Symptoms Worsen with Relapsing and Recurring Episodes Accompanied by Serious Disruption in Life Activities and Roles |
At Stage 3, symptoms have continued to increase in severity, and many symptoms are often taking place at the same time. A person may feel as though they are losing control of their life and the ability to fill their roles at home, work or school. |
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Stage 4 Symptoms are Persistent and Severe and Have Jeopardized One's Life |
By Stage 4, the combination of extreme, prolonged and persistent symptoms and impairment often results in development of other health conditions and has the potential to turn into a crisis event like unemployment, hospitalization, homelessness or even incarceration. In the worst cases, untreated mental illnesses can lead to loss of life an average of 25 years early. |
Credit: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/b4stage4-changing-way-we-think-about-mental-health
To learn more, visit http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ and http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/
Ed4Career is proud to offer an extensive catalog of courses for individuals interested in learning more about behavioral health and for those who want to work as a direct support professional. Please visit our website here to learn more: http://ed4hhs.com/
