Mental Health Issues In The U.S. Essay Example

📌Category: Health, Mental health, United States, World
📌Words: 511
📌Pages: 2
📌Published: 25 March 2022

Mental Health issues are a significant issue in the U.S.; depression, anxiety, and bullying have been on a steady incline over the past 20 years. Over 12 million U.S. adults considered suicide in the year 2019. Depression and mental health need a total fix in the U.S. If the U.S. would take a better look at mental health in the U.S., that number could drop significantly. With 12 million adults considering self-harm a year, an alarming number needs to be changed. 

It is evident that depression has risen in the U.S., but how much exactly? Depression has risen 33% since 1999 in the U.S. alone (APA). There are multiple reasons for the growth of depression in the United States. The growing rate of opioid addiction is another cause of depression in the U.S. Opioids are more accessible to obtain than ever before, causing the youth and adults to become addicted easier. Nearly 10.1 million people aged 12 or older have abused or misused opioids (HHS). 9.7 million used prescription drugs, with 745,000 using heroin (HHS). Heroin is a form of morphine. Heroin is diluted with water and injected into the bloodstream. Heroin also comes with the risk factor of STDs due to the common use of sharing needles.  In 2016, the national rate of opioid-related hospitalizations was 297 per 100,000 population. More than 760,000 people have overdosed since 1999( HHS). (www.hhs.gov)

To reiterate on bullying, nearly 20% of all students between ages 12-18 will experience bullying(StopBullying). Almost 42% of bullying happens in the classroom. 15% occurs through texting as well(StopBullying). Being made fun of or picked on makes up 13% of bullying. 3.9% of students receive threats of harm along with that(StopBullying). 6th graders reported the highest percent of bullying (29%) (NCES, 2019). Bullying makes up a large portion of suicide causes in the U.S. Bullying can cause mental issues in the U.S. almost faster than anything else. (stop bullying.gov)

Anxiety is also at an all-time high in the United States. Anxiety is another crucial cause of suicide in the United States. Anxiety affects nearly 40 million adults in the U.S. alone(ADAA). Approximately 7% of children in the U.S. are also diagnosed with anxiety(ADAA). With roughly half of our population having anxiety, only 36% of those people will receive care for their condition(ADAA). Symptoms of anxiety are: having difficulty focusing, being on edge, and being easily irritable. Being constantly on edge and being easily irritable may lead to feeling alone, or not being able to reach out. These feelings may lead to suicide or attempted suicide. Anxiety can stem from many things such as risk factors, genetics, brain chemistry, personality, or life events(ADAA).    Adaa.org 

It is evident with the facts provided that suicide, bullying, anxiety, and depression are significant issues in the U.S. With climbing numbers of depression, anxiety, and bullying also comes the climbing rates of suicides. There is a rising issue in opioid addictions as well. If the U.S. does not swiftly get these under control, we can expect peaking suicide rates in the past 20 years. There are many solutions to these problems that the U.S could enforce, such as having a way for people to reach out to someone when they are feeling down. but at the growing rate of suicides, it will take many years to lower the numbers.

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