FACTS ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS 

1.      Mental illnesses are physical brain disorders that disrupt a person’s ability to think, feel and relate to others and their environment. With appropriate treatment and support, individuals living with mental illness recover to enjoy full and productive lives. 

2.      Mental illnesses are more common than cancer, diabetes or heart disease. 

3.      In any given year more than five million Americans suffer from an acute episode of mental illness. 

4.      One in every five families is affected in their lifetime by severe mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and major depression. 

5.      One in ten children and adolescents have mental illnesses severe enough to cause some level of impairment. Yet fewer than one in five of these young people receives needed treatment. 

6.      The number one reason for hospital admissions nationwide is a biological psychiatric condition. At any moment, almost 21% of all hospital beds are filled by people with a mental illness. 

7.      The total price tag of mental illness in this country is $148 billion, including direct costs (hospitalizations and medications) and the indirect costs (lost wages, family caregiving and losses due to suicide). 

8.      Despite media focus on the exceptions, individuals receiving treatment for schizophrenia are no more prone to violence that the general public. Unfortunately, almost one-third of all U.S. jails incarcerate people with severe mental illnesses who have no charges against them, but are merely waiting for a psychiatric evaluation or the availability of a psychiatric hospital bed. 

9.      On any given day approximately 150,000 people with severe mental illnesses are homeless, living on the street or in public shelters. 

10.    Treatment works! The treatment success rate for schizophrenia is 60%, 65% of major depression and 80% for bipolar disorder. The success rate for treatments of heart disease ranges from 41 –52%.