Lack Of Treatment For Mental Disorders Essay

Public awareness of the effects of a lack of treatment for mental disorders is important to help those struggling with these disorders. Psychologists and other mental health care professionals see mental disorders, especially depression, as the horrible diseases that they are, and not just something that can be handled without professional help. This research is necessary in helping to prevent the suffering of those with depression by urging them to get help, instead of just struggling in silence. The purpose of this research is to show that many people, including children who rely on others to get the help that they need, often need assistance in getting the help with mental disorders that they deserve? Mental disorders such as depression are stigmatized in today 's culture, which leads to a lack of treatment or delay in treatment, an increase in suicide, and often other issues such as behavioral problems. Depression and other mental disorders are diseases that all too often go untreated. Depression as a disorder is defined as long term feelings of sadness, loss, anger and other feelings of negativity (Wang et al.). Research has shown that many people in the United States of America do not receive help for their mental disorders, even though help is available, and despite their disorders causing them, sometimes severe, distress (Wang et al.). The same set of researchers show that the sooner someone reaches out for help, the less they will struggle and suffer due to their mental disorder. Typically, as soon as symptoms present themselves, one should begin to seek out treatment in order to speed up the treatment process. Often, people who struggle with mental disorders will eventually reach out to receive help, but more so for mood disorders than for things like substance abuse or anxiety disorders. (Wang et al.) Getting treatment for mental disorders plays a key role in recovery. If one does not receive help that they need, they may have recurring problems associated with that disorder, including suicide, or the ending of one’s life. It is shown that suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people between the ages of fifteen and twenty four years of age. More than nine out of every ten young person who commits suicide has a mental disorder ("Facts on Children’s Mental"). Of the people who struggle with a major depressive disorder up until the age of thirty, 19% have at least one attempted suicide (Rohde et al.). Similarly, having depression can increase ones’ risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases (National Institute of Mental Health). With this information it is clear that depression is a very serious disease that requires treatment, or it may become detrimental. Many children with untreated mental illnesses end up with behavioral problems and may end up in jail. Major depression happens less often in children than in adulthood. However, depression that occurs during childhood is typically more severe than during adulthood (Rohde et al.). If a child with mental illnesses such as depression does not receive treatment, they are likely to fall into long term unemployment and will continue to deal with their disorder for longer amounts of time ("Facts on Children’s Mental"). According to research, about one half of kids living with mental disorders from age fourteen and up will drop out of school. Due to these numbers, children with mental illnesses are the …show more content…
This is proven when looking at kids with depression. Depression in adults typically presents itself as changes in sleep patterns, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities, a noticeable change in appetite, and feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, among many others (Ballas). In young children depression often presents itself in different ways, including: complaints of not feeling well, refusal to attend school, clinging to a parent or worrying that their parents may pass away (National Institute of Mental Health). Due to these differences in symptoms, parents should watch for changes in their child’s behavioral, sleeping, and school work habits (Ballas). Older children and teenagers also have different symptoms than adults such as sulking or grouchy attitudes, misbehaving in school, or feeling like no one understands them (National Institute of Mental Health). Depression and other mental disorders should not be taken lightly simply because the person suffering is a