Do most people suffer from some form of mental illness? Or is it rare?

[Charliefretz329]

I feel like everyone has a demon they fight with inside

Most people have a mental illness

It’s rare

[OneViewpoint]

I have zero statistics on the general population. Never cared enough to research it. But I did negotiate a healthcare deal for 25 companies once upon a time. At the one year review, I was looking at the performance of the deal.

The broker team was running through a 45 page presentation for one of the companies. It was going slow and I get bored easily so I read ahead to the middle of the deck until I came across 2 pages where they listed every drug paid for in descending dollars spent. There were 4 or 5 drugs at the top of the list that accounted for 80% of the total drug spend for a population of about 450 people in that company. Employees, spouses, and dependent children.

The lead broker noticed I wasn't paying attention / on the same page as everyone else and asked what I was looking at. "I said I'm on page X. What are these top 5 drugs." I just assumed they must be expensive cancer treatments for a handful of people who needed extraordinary treatment. But I had no idea what the Latin drug names represented.

Without skipping a beat the lead broker said...

"Oh, those are all psychiatric drugs. Depression, anxiety, ADHD, mood stabilizers, addiction that sort of thing. 75% of your population is on those drugs."

Holy shit! That hit me like a ton of bricks. That meant 3 out of 4 people I worked with, their kids, and their spouses were being medicated for psychological problems. Which meant they were seeing a psychiatrist.

I had no idea how widespread it is. I always believed it was something like 10% of the population. That shook me. Wakeup call. Damn!

Yeah, everyone has demons. I did not know it was at a level where they were seeking professional help for it and chowing down on some potent drugs with significant side effects to get through the day.

[Charliefretz329]

Wowza

[OlderAndWiser]

Psychopathology is not a binary state; it is a continuum. This concept was explored in detail in Freud's book, The Psychopathology Of Everyday Life. All of us feel anxious at times, sad at times, hget agitated on occasion. The extent to which this becomes pathological is measured by how much it affects our ability to work and our ability to maintain family and social relationships. There is no bright line separating mental health and mental illness.

[DangerouslyCute]

everyone has their demons... but it's not an illness... when you experience loss or any negative things in your life... some stuff stays with you for longer... but it's not an illness it's how it is...

the therapy can help with cutting the negative stuff off...

mental illness is something that was there even before triggering events happened... it could be hidden and triggered by some experiences... or simply just showed up at later time...

also usually with mental illnesses therapy rarely is enough... and if it helps significantly... it can't be stopped...

[Simslover92]

I think more people have some form of mental illness than we know where many might not even realize they have it until much later in life. I didn't have mental illness until 29 years old. Some develop it later in life like myself and some just don't know they have it and just struggling with life not knowing what's going on with them.

[Charliefretz329]

Concur

[jazzy34]

As of 2022, 59.3 million people were diagnosed with a mental illness. You have to remember, though, many people suffer in silence and are never properly diagnosed and receive the necessary treatment. So, I’m sure the number is much higher.

[Charliefretz329]

Agree with the sentiment

[MemeSupreme]

sooo most people go through a depression, trauma, or experience symptoms that can be part of a disorder. the thing is that it goes away eventually. this is common

BUT when you have a disorder, it stays and you really do need treatment to just to deal with it (which isn't easy and consistent). this is uncommon

[Dongie]

I'd say nobody in THIS world hasn't an issue be it OCD, or ADD, or many other abbreviations going on with us. I can't see someone growing up in this society and not having some issue.

[Dongie]

Now, as far as a physiological type thing I'd say no. Not everybody has that form.

[Charliefretz329]

Concur

[NathanDavis]

while hanging out here at G@G... it might seem that way, lol...

[katiesmuff]

It's rare and first sign is they run for a political office!

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Everybody is some kind of autistic. I believe that most wholeheartedly

[chrissykerdock]

most do like you want your penis chopped off

[Anonymous]

A lot of people either have anxiety or depression I don't know if it’s environmental or something is messing with people’s brains

[Miah06]

I don't know.

[beefcakebradybatson]

ALL Trumpsters are mentally ill !!!

[RageBabe]

No, that isn't accurate.