Continuing the Conversation | MentalHealth.gov

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Continuing the Conversation | MentalHealth.gov

	MentalHealth.gov Blog: Continuing the Conversation By Pamela S. Hyde, Administrator, SAMHSA | Thursday, November 7, 2013 Mental illness has been in the news a lot lately, and it's good that we as a Nation are talking about it. Unfortunately, the most important questions often get lost in the noise—how can we help people understand the importance of mental health and how can we help people with mental illness heal and recover? It's critical that we ask these questions, because when we help people understand mental health and recovery from mental illness, we improve the health and well-being not only of them, but of their communities. The stakes are high. Close to one in five Americans 18 or older (18 percent) experienced a mental illness in the past year. People with mental illness are not on the fringes of society. We sit together at work, at church, at the Little League game, and at the dinner table. And with the right help, recovery and healing happen. Unfortunately, over half of those with mental illnesses do not receive adequate help. According to the data collected at the SAMHSA, 76 percent of the people who get help for a mental illness report no serious psychological distress 6 months later. Continue Reading Pamela Hyde's Blog on MentalHealth.gov