Mental disorders are conditions that can affect the way people think and the way they act. They can struggle to act within societal norms. At times, they can be a danger to themselves and to others. They will often have a severe impact on themselves. This can lead to a quality of life that some come to think is not worth living at all.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorderMental Illness

Mental illnesses are common in the United States. Nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (46.6 million in 2017). Mental illnesses include many different conditions that vary in degree of severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe. Two broad categories can be used to describe these conditions: Any Mental Illness (AMI) and Serious Mental Illness (SMI). AMI encompasses all recognized mental illnesses. SMI is a smaller and more severe subset of AMI. Additional information on mental illnesses can be found on the NIMH Health Topics Pages.

Definitions:

The data here comes from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). This survey is conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). For inclusion in NSDUH prevalence estimates, mental illnesses include those that are diagnosable currently or within the past year. They must last long enough to meet the diagnostic criteria. These criteria are specified within the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Developmental and substance use disorders are excluded.

Any Mental Illness: Any mental illness (AMI) is defined as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder. AMI can vary in impact, ranging from no impairment to mild, moderate, and even severe impairment (e.g., individuals with serious mental illness as defined below).

Serious Mental Illness: Serious mental illness (SMI) is defined as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder. It results in serious functional impairment. This impairment substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. The burden of mental illnesses is particularly concentrated among those who experience disability due to SMI.

Prevalence of Any Mental Illness (AMI): Figure 1 shows the past year’s prevalence of AMI among U.S. adults. In 2017, there were an estimated 46.6 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States with AMI. This number represented 18.9% of all U.S. adults.

• The prevalence of AMI was higher among women (22.3%) than men (15.1%).
• Young adults aged 18-25 years had the highest prevalence of AMI (25.8%) compared to adults aged 26-49 years (22.2%) and aged 50 and older (13.8%).
• The prevalence of AMI was highest among the adults reporting two or more races (28.6%), followed by White adults (20.4%). The prevalence of AMI was lowest among Asian adults (14.5%).https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds. (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)

Student Mental Health is in crisis in our Nation.

According to the Mayo Clinic Health Systems Entering or returning to college is an exciting time for young adults. Students and parents look ahead to memorable experiences that will last a lifetime. For many students, college years are a period of discovery and growth. An exciting time for young adults. Students and parents hope for memorable experiences to last a lifetime. For many students, the years at college are a time of discovery and growth.

But depression may get in the way. The rate of depression among college students is rising. In a 2021–2022 survey of students across 133 college campuses, 44% of students reported symptoms of depression. In the same survey, 15% reported seriously considering suicide in the past year. Both parents and students need to know the risk factors. Recognizing the symptoms can help with early identification. It can also aid in the treatment of depression. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/college-students-and-depression

Symptoms of depression can include:

• Anxiety and panic
• Difficulty with schoolwork
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
• Emotional outbursts, such as tearfulness, anger or irritability
• Lack of energy or fatigue
• Loss of interest in activities, such as clubs, sports or other social commitments
• Poor self-esteem
• Sense of being overwhelmed
• Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
• Unrealistic guilt

Mental illness may add extra considerations to the process of attending college. Still, many options are available to turn this goal into a reality. Current college students use campus mental health services more than any generation before them. This shows that students are taking charge of their mental health. It also shows that colleges have services in place to help. https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/