Mental health is a major public health concern, with one in five American adults having had a mental health problem and one in twenty living with a serious mental illness. Despite this, more than half of adults with mental illness in the U. S. (27 million people) don't get the treatment they need.
To understand why, it's important to look at the barriers that prevent people from seeking psychiatric treatment. The desire to receive care is a major factor in whether someone seeks help for their mental health issues. People may be reluctant to seek help due to fear of stigma or lack of anonymity. Additionally, there is a shortage of mental health professionals in the U. S., making it difficult for people to access the care they need.
Interventions are being developed to promote help-seeking behaviors in adolescents, particularly those in higher education settings. These interventions focus on topics such as general mental health awareness, suicide prevention, and reducing stigma. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that one in four people suffer from mental illness each year, highlighting the need for access to mental health care for all patient populations. In order to address these issues, there needs to be an interoperability of health data and information exchange between patients, primary care providers, and mental health specialists. This will allow for better assessment of risk factors and timely access to effective treatment.
Additionally, interventions should focus on increasing mental health literacy and improving attitudes towards mental health services. Understanding the difficulties surrounding help-seeking behaviors is essential for preventing the escalation of mental health problems among adolescents. It is important to create an environment where people feel comfortable seeking help and are aware of the resources available to them. This will require addressing social stigma and providing support for those who are struggling with their mental health. The authors review the effectiveness of existing interventions, including the ability of mental health professionals to assess the risk of suicide among patients. This strategy will require the interoperability of health data and the exchange of information between the patient, the primary care provider and the mental health specialist.
