General Mental Illness

1 in 4 of us live with mental illness
 

1 In 4 Americans live with mental illnessBrain and behavior disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older – about 1 in 4 adults – suffer from one or more of these disorders in a given year. Brain and behavior disorders are common among children in the United States and are increasingly being recognized and diagnosed at an early age. Just over 20 percent (or 1 in 5) children live with a debilitating mental illness.

Out of the 10 leading causes of disability identified and tracked in the United States and other developed countries; four are brain and behavior disorders: major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

It is estimated that:
- 18% of American adults will suffer from an anxiety disorder each year
- 10% of Americans adults will suffer from depression each year
- 4% of American adults will suffer from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) each year
- 4% of American adults will suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder each year
- 3% of American adults will suffer from bipolar disorder each year
- 1% of American adults will suffer from schizophrenia each year
- 1% of American adults will suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) each year
 - 1 in every 88 8-year-old children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder

 

Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

(*Source: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the Center for Disease Control)

Eric R. Kandel, M.D.
Eric R. Kandel, M.D.
March 12, 2012

Scientific Council member, Eric R. Kandel, M.D. is featured in an insightful and inspiring question and answer session with New York Times journalist,  Claudia Dreifus. In their discussions, Dr. Kandel (2000 Nobel...

Richard Davidson, Ph.D.
Richard Davidson, Ph.D.
February 23, 2012

On Saturday, March 5th the Chopra Foundation will be hosting the Third Annual Sages and Scientists Symposium in Carlsbad, CA. The event, concluding on March 5th, will feature NARSAD Distinguished Investigator Grantee...

Dr. Gerard Sanacora
Dr. Gerard Sanacora
February 18, 2012
ABC News reports on new hope for the millions of people living with treatment-resistant depression. Dr. Gerard Sanacora, featured in the clip, says “This has the potential to be the biggest change in the treatment of...
Paul Greengard, Ph.D. and Eric R. Kandel, M.D.
Drs. Greengard and Kandel
February 17, 2012

In 2000, Scientific Council Members, Eric R. Kandel, M.D. and Paul Greengard, Ph.D. were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their important contributions to understanding the molecular changes in the...

Carrie Bearden, Ph.D., 2003/2005 NARSAD Young Investigator Grantee Associate Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Psychology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior
Carrie Bearden, Ph.D
February 15, 2012

I was very pleased to read Dr. Adrian Preda’s recent blog posting focused on ‘exercising the brain’. I have become increasingly excited about the potential for aerobic exercise to boost neuroplasticity (i.e., the ability...

Pages

Subscribe to