Mental Health: The Crisis is Real

Over the past 10 years, anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges have risen, with record highs noted in 2020.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2021a), we can define mental health as the state of the mind’s well-being. Mental illness is the "conditions" that affect a person’s thinking, feelings, mood, or behavior. These can include anxiety and depression, to name a few. And, mental wellness is an internal resource that helps us think, feel, connect, and function; it is an active process that allows us to build resilience, grow, and flourish.

This crisis crosses all ages, economic statuses, gender, and education levels. The CDC states (2021b) that symptoms of anxiety and depression during COVID-19 occurred in about 41% of adults. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2021) reports even before the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health challenges were a leading cause of our young people being identified for special help and poor life outcomes. The numbers are staggering. Up to 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 has a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder. One in 3 high school students have feelings of sadness and hopelessness, an increase of 40% since 2009. Overall suicide rates are also on the rise for our 10- to 24-year-olds, rising 57% since 2007 with 6,600 deaths by suicide among this group in 2020.

People are dying from this mental health crisis. There have been spikes in deaths from suicide and "deaths of despair," sometimes referred to as suicide in slow motion, caused by destructive behaviors like abusing drugs and alcohol, to name a few.

According to HealthyPeople.gov (2022) these "disorders can have harmful and long-lasting effects," including an individual’s need to belong in socially acceptable ways. There are also economic costs "not only for people living with the disorder, but also for their families, schools, workplaces, and communities."

Stigma and lack of acceptance are major reasons for the long-lasting effects of mental illness. Awareness and prevention are vital to helping our neighbors and saving lives. These include doing a self-check of your mind and well-being and checking in with those around you. When you notice changes in behavior, ask questions, such as "I didn’t see you for a few weeks at...." Listen non-judgmentally and express concern. Use words like "I am here for you; how can I help?" Get educated on things to say and not say. Learn about the resources in your neighborhood. Keep the local crisis numbers on your phone.

Let's be proactive in making a difference in our neighborhoods and changing the mental wellness of those around us. And, Penn State Extension is here for you. We can help with education, resources, and making connections. We have short webinars online, resource pages, and ongoing classes around farm stress, mental health, mental wellness, and how to talk to those you are concerned about.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021a). About mental health.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021b, March 26). Symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder and use of mental health care among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic — United States, August 2020–February 2021.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2022, February 6). Mental health. Healthy People 2020.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021, December 7). U.S. Surgeon general issues are advisory on youth mental health crisis further exposed by COVID-19 pandemic.