Today, Sunday, October 10 is World Mental Health Day.  In case you were unaware, the first full week in October is Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW). 

Courtesy of the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), this year’s MIAW is centered around our new awareness campaign, “Together for Mental Health,” where we will focus on the importance of advocating for better care for people with serious mental illness (SMI).

Fast Facts

These are only a few of the reasons why it’s important to take part in promoting awareness for MIAW. Please use these facts and others, including the infographics at nami.org/mhstats, to encourage discussions about mental health through social media or other forms of outreach.

• 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
• 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
• 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
• Mental illness affects:
• 44% of LGB adults
• 32% Mixed/Multiracial adults
• 22% of White adults
• 19% of American Indian or Alaska Native
• 18% of Latinx adults
• 17% of Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander adults
• 17% of Black adults
• 14% of Asian adults
• Annual prevalence among U.S. adults, by condition:
• Anxiety Disorders: 19.1% (estimated 48 million people)
• Major Depressive Episode: 7.8% (19.4 million people)
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: 3.6% (estimated 9 million people)
• Bipolar Disorder: 2.8% (estimated 7 million people)
• Borderline Personality Disorder: 1.4% (estimated 3.5 million people)
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: 1.2% (estimated 3 million people)
• Schizophrenia: <1% (estimated 1.5 million people)

For more information about Mental Illness vist NAMI or your contact a behavioral health professional. Don't wait for tomorrow, get help today.