Understanding Behavioral Health Issues

Many people don't realize that mental illnesses can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity, and it is as real as any other disease or disability. Here are a some facts about behavioral health for a better understanding of the disease.

• Behavioral disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 47.6 million Americans ages 18 and older - about 1 in 5 adults - suffer from a diagnosable behavioral disorder in a given year. Worldwide depression is the leading cause of disability.
• According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness the annual prevalence among U.S. adults, by condition is:
  • Major Depressive Episode: 7.2%
  • Schizophrenia: 1%
  • Bipolar Disorder: 2.8%
  • Anxiety Disorders: 19.1%
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: 3.6%
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: 1.2%
  • Borderline Personality Disorder: 1.4%
• Women are 70% more likely than men to experience depression, and young adults aged 18-25 are 60% more likely to have depression than people aged 50 or older.
• Although men are less likely to suffer from depression than women, they are also less likely to admit to depression. The rate of suicide in men is four times that of women.
• Mental health can also affect a person's physical health. For example, people with depression have a 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than the general population.
• Anxiety disorders fill people's lives with overwhelming anxiety and fear, and are the most common mental health concern in the United States. An estimated 40 million adults in the U.S., have an anxiety disorder.