Mental Illness : A Social Problem

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Mental Illness as a Social Problem in New Mexico What is mental illness? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mental illness refers to disorders generally characterized by dysregulation of mood, thought, and or behavior. There are many underlying brackets which fall under the mental illness category. Examples of these are: depression, anxiety, psychotic disorders, bi-polar disorder, and could even include dementia/Alzheimer’s, and many more. Some might wonder just exactly who mental illness can affect. Well, while many individuals may not have personally experienced any of this, mental illness is much more common than thought. There are approximately 2 million residents in the state of New Mexico, with which close to 72,000 adults live with serious mental illness, and about 22,000 children live with serious health conditions (NAMI 2010). SAMHSA’s (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration) statistics show the range of mental illness between children to adults. It shows that from 2009-2013 serious mental illness in young adults aged 18 or older in New Mexico; were at a much higher rate than the United States as a whole. As seen by these statistics, mental health is something that actually is not to uncommon. Not only does it affect adults, but children and teens as well. Research will also show that mental illness can affect any gender, race, or region. It is an illness that can target anyone regardless of all these demographics. That is why mental illness can be thought of as such a huge social problem, because it is everywhere, not just in New Mexico like the focus of this paper, although here it is known to be the highest. Most people also wonder, if not in a hospital seeking treatment, where... ... middle of paper ... ...lness, New Mexico’s public health system provides services to only 24 percent of adults who live with serious mental illness in the state. Most mentally ill people rely on state offered programs or state provided care for their needed care. Research will show that need for more programs is in high demand. The need for more outpatient and or aftercare programs is crucial to ones society in order for everyone in it to function properly and be safe. As we all know, social welfare of the public and well-being of others is crucial to us as a state and community. By implementing more of these programs, it may eliminate: homelessness, tragedies conducted by mentally ill people without the needed help, and furthermore help future people learn more about mental illness and help those who are in serious need thus preventing consequences that may come from this social problem.

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