Mental illness is no longer a hidden disease that we should turn a blind eye to. When Covid-19 struck the world, the impact it had on everyone was felt on all facets of life. Psychologically and emotionally people endured through challenging times filled with worry, anxiety and fears derived from a Pandemic that took many lives. As many strive to rebuild a sense of normalcy and focus on healing and recovering from a stress ridden period, a new rise in wellness initiatives have risen.
To gain a better understanding of the picture, its good look at the statistics on mental illness. Mental Health America released a survey (2023) that reflects the negative impact the uncertain and stress producing circumstances of Covid-19 had on our overall emotional wellbeing. Currently 21 percent of all adults are experiencing symptoms of at least one mental illness. This is close to 50 million people and speaks volumes. Equally staggering 55 percent of adults that have a mental illness have not received any treatment. More than 12.1 million adults have reported thoughts of suicide with Oregon having one of the highest rates of mental illness and rates tied to self-reports on thoughts of suicide, along with Arizona and Kansas. The current trends also suggest that the prevalence of mental illness is increasing with barriers to care such as difficulty in accessing care being reported. Lack of awareness about resources and long provider waits have also been a central them across the nation.
Local Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) assigned to serve as the county behavioral health provider, Klamath Basin Behavioral Health has been providing the area with quality mental health care since 1980. KBBH also has a crisis line that is in operation 24 hours a day to assist in cases where one would want to speak to a counselor right away. Further it’s important to remember that being informed and raising awareness about mental illness and available resources is key to making a positive change. We must remove the stigma attached to the topic and not only embrace healing but have open discussions about mental wellness, not only in May but regularly and with intention.
