Mental Illness Awareness Week

This week – the first full week of October – is Mental Illness Awareness Week, as established by the United States Congress in 1990. In Southeastern Connecticut, we are very fortunate to have so many wonderful agencies that work continuously to build awareness around mental health challenges, provide services and educate the community.

It is so important to recognize their efforts and the value of their services because one in four adults will experience symptoms of a mental health disorder in any given year. Anyone of any age, socio-economic level, gender, or ethnicity can face a mental illness. Therefore, we need to be aware of the facts:

• Major depressive disorder affects nearly 7 percent of adults and is the leading cause of disability in the United States for ages 15-44.
• Those living with a serious mental illness are at risk of dying 25 years earlier than those in the general population.
• Individuals with mental illness are nearly 3 times more likely to be victims of crime.

As a community we need to speak up and out against discrimination against individuals with mental health challenges, and challenge misinformation and generalizations about people with these disorders.

The Eastern Regional Mental Health Board (ERMHB) continues to educate the public about mental health and illness and promotes recovery for individuals with mental health challenges.

I am so privileged as your State Representative to be working alongside so many caring and dedicated individuals and agencies in a collective mission to build awareness about mental illness and provide the necessary resources to protect mental health services.

For more information about mental health programs and services in Southeastern, CT  please contact Deborah Walker, the Office Administrator for ERMHB, at dwalker.ermhb@gmail.com.