Mental health issues can impact any of us throughout the life span; it impacts how we think, feel and act.

There are still many harmful attitudes and misunderstandings around mental illness, which may make people ignore their mental health, fuel stigma, and make it harder to reach out for help. Take this quick quiz to see if you can tell fact from fiction.

Why is mental health important for overall health?

Mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health.  For example, depression increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Similarly, the presence of chronic conditions can increase the risk for mental illness.How we think and feel directly impacts our physical health, we cannot avoid our head is connected to the body!

Key Fast Facts (from NAMI and the CDC)

• 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year

• 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness (SMI) each year

• 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year

• Annual prevalence of mental illness among U.S. adults, by demographic group:

• Non-Hispanic Asian: 16.4%

• Non-Hispanic white: 23.9%

• Non-Hispanic Black or African American: 21.4%

• Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native: 26.6%

• Non-Hispanic mixed/multiracial: 34.9%

• Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 18.1%

• Hispanic or Latino: 20.7%

• Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual: 50.9%

• Annual prevalence among U.S. adults, by condition:

• Major Depressive Episode: 8.3% (21 million people)

• Schizophrenia: <1% (estimated 1.5 million people)

• Bipolar Disorder: 2.8% (estimated 7 million people)

• Anxiety Disorders: 19.1% (estimated 48 million people)

• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: 3.6% (estimated 9 million people)

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: 1.2% (estimated 3 million people)

• Borderline Personality Disorder: 1.4% (estimated 3.5 million people)

• 47.2% of U.S. adults with mental illness received treatment in 2021

• 65.4% of U.S. adults with serious mental illness received treatment in 2021

• Annual treatment rates among U.S. adults with any mental illness, by demographic group:

• Male: 40%

• Female: 51.7%

• Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual: 55.6%

• Non-Hispanic Asian: 25.4%

• Non-Hispanic white: 52.4%

• Non-Hispanic Black or African American: 39.4%

• Non-Hispanic mixed/multiracial: 52.2%

• Hispanic or Latino: 36.1%

• 164 million people live in a designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Area

Half of all mental illness occurs before a person turns 14 years old, and three-quarters of mental illness begin before age 24.

How Do I Know this is a Mental Illness?

Trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors are and what might be the signs of a mental illness isn't always easy. There's no easy test that can let someone know if there is mental illness or if actions and thoughts might be typical behaviors of a person or the result of a physical illness or medication reactions.

Each illness has its own symptoms, but common signs of mental illness in adults and adolescents can include the following:

• Excessive worrying or fear

• Feeling excessively sad or low

• Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning

• Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria

• Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger

• Avoiding friends and social activities

• Difficulties understanding or relating to other people

• Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy

• Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite

• Changes in sex drive

• Difficulty perceiving reality (delusions or hallucinations, in which a person experiences and senses things that don't exist in objective reality)

• Inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings, behavior or personality (”lack of insight” or anosognosia)

• Overuse of substances like alcohol or drugs

• Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing “aches and pains”)

• Thinking about suicide

• Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress

• An intense fear of weight gain or concern with appearance

Mental health conditions can also begin to develop in young children. Because they’re still learning how to identify and talk about thoughts and emotions, their most obvious symptoms are behavioral. Symptoms in children may include the following:

• Changes in school performance

• Excessive worry or anxiety, for instance fighting to avoid bed or school

• Hyperactive behavior

• Frequent nightmares

• Frequent disobedience or aggression

• Frequent temper tantrums

Two most prevalent disorders we see are anxiety and depression (see below resources for more details on all mental health disorders)

Anxiety Disorders - highest prevalence in adults and adolescents

Anxiety disorders are a group of related conditions, each having unique symptoms. However, all anxiety disorders have one thing in common: persistent, excessive fear or worry in situations that are not threatening. 

Generalized Anxiety Disorder, (GAD), Panic Disorder, Phobias, and Social Anxiety

Depressive Disorders  - is more than just feeling sad or going through a rough patch. It’s a serious mental health condition that requires understanding and medical care. Left untreated, depression can be devastating for those who have it and their families.

For most people, depressive disorder changes how they function day-to-day, and typically for more than two weeks. Common symptoms include:

• Changes in sleep

• Changes in appetite

• Lack of concentration

• Loss of energy

• Lack of interest in activities

• Hopelessness or guilty thoughts

• Changes in movement (less activity or agitation)

• Physical aches and pains

• Suicidal thoughts

What causes anxiety and depression: not always clear and not always one thing

Genetics - some families have a pre-disposition to mental health illnesses

Environment - ongoing stress, trauma, violence, chronic illness

Brain Changes - frontal lobe injury, dementia 

Alcohol & Drug Abuse 

Loneliness and Isolation

Diagnoses: only a mental or medical health professional is trained to make a diagnosis, but you can recognize these symptoms and suggest treatment might help.

Treatment: (Click below for treatment options)

• Psychotherapy including cognitive behavioral therapy

• Medications including antianxiety/antidepressant medications 

• Complementary health approaches including stress and relaxation techniques

• Self Care such as: exercise, sleep hygiene, eating healthy, social connections

Wisconsin Data on Crisis Interventions:

WI: 96,448 calls received since July ’22

WI: 36, 197 WI based texts, chats since July ’22

Feb 2024: 5,168 calls answered - up 27.4% since Feb ’23

Feb 2024: 2,141 texts & chats- up 26.0% since Feb ‘23

Call 988 or Call local 911 and ask for Behavioral Crisis 24/7

If you are worried about what to say, how to approach a loved one, or you or a loved one are in crisis, 988 is the lifeline to call, chat or text -  24/7 availability 

Tammy Baldwin led the bipartisan legislation to get 988 passed nationally (Went live in July 2022) and she just secured ongoing funding to keep this valuable resource intact.

 Behavioral Health Emergency Services

The Behavioral Health Emergency Services or Crisis Program provides services to individuals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through a contract with Northwest Connections by dialing 911 and asking for the on call Behavioral Health worker. These services are offered in homes, police departments, hospitals, schools and other community locations.

Emergency Services include:

• Coordination of out-of-home placements including psychiatric hospitalization, if necessary

• Individual and family crisis assessments interventions

• Mental Health crisis consultation (by calling 911)

• Mobile on-site responds to crisis situations to assess risk to self or others

• Telephone crisis intervention

For Non-Emergency Services in St. Croix County (SCC), please call the Access and Intake line to set up an appointment or get information on resources at 715-246-8255

Additional Resources

The above information was compiled by Peg Audley, MSW, LICSW