Newsroom
Summer 2002
- The Stigma of Mental Illness in the United States
The Stigma of Mental
Illness in the United States
by Mark I. Levy, M.D.
America today is plagued with a
pandemic prejudice against those suffering with mental illness that is crippling
our nation. Our society equates mental illness with moral weakness, causing
individuals to deny their mental suffering out of fear that they will appear
to be morally culpable for it. In so doing, we are telling these individuals
that they are inadequate and not meeting socially acceptable standards.
We don't moralize about physical
pain. For example, when someone has a broken leg, we donšt advise him to, “Shake
it off.” Yet, if the same individual describes his symptoms of depression,
we encourage him to, “Get out and exercise, pull yourself up by your bootstraps,
you'll get over it.” Such advice is useless, inappropriate and blames the
sufferer for his illness.
Rather than give in to the great
desire to deny the disability caused by mental illness, we need to acknowledge
that mental illness is just as valid as physical illness. We need to view emotional
symptoms with the same clinical, objective manner as physical symptoms. Only
then, can we reach out to provide the treatment that will help those suffering
and aid them to become contributing members of our society.
Face the Facts of Mental Illness
Number of Americans Suffering
from Mental Illness
* As many as 80 percent of people suffering from mental illnesses can effectively
return to normal, productive lives if they receive appropriate treatment.
* During any one-year period, up to 50 million Americans, more than 22 percent,
suffer from a clearly diagnosable mental disorder involving a degree of incapacity
that interferes with employment, attendance at school or daily life.
Cost of Mental Illness to Society
* The direct costs of support and medical treatment of mental illnesses total
$55.4 billion a year.
* The indirect costs, such as lost employment, reduced productivity, criminal
activity, vehicular accidents and social welfare programs increase the total
cost of mental and substance abuse disorders to more than $273 billion a year.
Efficacy of Treatment for Mental
Disorders
* Medications relieve acute symptoms of schizophrenia in 80 percent of cases,
but only about half of all people with schizophrenia seek treatment.
* With therapy, 80 to 90 percent of the people suffering from depressive disorders
can get better, but fewer than one-third of those suffering seek treatment.
* Refinements of lithium carbonate, used in treating manic-depressive (bipolar)
disorder, have led to an estimated annual savings of $8 billion in treatment
costs and lost productivity associated with bipolar disorder.
* Studies of psychotherapy by the National Institute of Mental Health have shown
it to be very effective in treating mild to moderate depression.
Statistics gathered from the American
Psychiatric Association’s web site: www.psych.org.
To interview Dr. Lamia on the topic
of social interaction and radio talk shows or Dr. Levy regarding the stigma
of mental illness in our society, please call Mary Tressel, Media Consultant,
at 925-686-2958.
