May iS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

These Thoughts Are Offered For The Purposes of the Month of May’s Mental Health Awareness

The very essence of “Existence” always was and always will be a total mystery to mankind.

The best tool we human beings have to navigate our journey from birth to death is our mind/brain.

Sadly, too many humans suffer from mind/brain birth defects or disease or malfunctions/disorders.

1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year

1 in 25 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year

1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year

50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34

However, mental illness is not the reason for most of mankind’s ugly, horrible, frightening, inhumane behavior, as too many people erroneously think. Most crimes against humanity are usually caused by one’s life’s experience’s, their personal environment, abusive/negligent parenting or lack there of and other conditions. Mental illness however, does account for many social tragedies as homelessness, addiction, poverty, suicides, etc. Our mentally ill brothers and sisters are usually victims, not perpetrators.

Ergo, if we can address the diseases or disorders as soon as they appear, we should witness a mitigation of the above. This logic motivates me to suggest that everyone should ask all our elected or incumbent government office holders [and candidates] in both the legislative and executive branches of towns, cities, counties, states and federal to focus more on what and how more can be done sooner. It would be a wise investment for society and could be a salve for the anguish that both victims and their families suffer.

Le’s give the issue a higher priority than it has, more resources that it has and much more attention that it gets. Mental illness can be treated with success. Treatment and recovery can be achieved. And we must cling to our hope. We must never lose hope.

Note - The Author, John Allen Murphy, was a Chairman of the Rockland County Board of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism; a former member of the Rockland Children’s Psychiatric Center Board of Visitors, current President of the Adult Rockland Psychiatric Center Board of Visitors; and the Co-Founder & Former chairman of the Board of Directors of the Loeb House, Inc. charity that operates community residences for the mentally ill.