I've been doing some research on mental health statistics in the U.S. I'm a little shocked but not surprised. The numbers from 2017. These numbers come from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
1 in 5 Americans suffer from some sort of mental illness.
It is broken down in to two categories:
(AMI) Any Mental Illness
46.6 million adults 18 or older which represents 18.9% of the population suffer
(SMI) Serious Mental Illness
11.2 million adults 18 or older which represents 4.5% of the population suffer
Of these figures I wonder how many identify as having some sort of religious background? I cannot seem to find statistics to answer that question. Is it because we sit in silence in the church and hide our struggle for fear of being rejected? Why do we dare to think our minds are exempt from illness but we accept a body illness? Our brains are very much physical, an organ susceptible to illness because of the fall. Mental illness is not a result of some unconfessed sin in our lives, it's a chemical imbalance. Just as someone's body may produce too much or too little insulin there are chemicals in the brain that produce too much or too little.
When will we start to pull down the stigmas of mental health, will it be possible to heal?
I say YES! How do I know you say, I lived it and overcame it. We need to support each other and loving each other as Christ loved us.
Burying our heads in the sand will not get us anywhere except a head full sand.
