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Depression And Generalized Anxiety Disorder (NIMH)

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In 2015, I was diagnosed with depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Since my diagnosis and treatment, I found out I would have benefitted from getting help years earlier. It has been harder for me to change certain habits that I started a couple of years before treatment. I didn't know what steps to take at the time, as I was never taught about mental health in school and it was rarely talked about at home. I have been to therapy and taken pills, but the thing that has truly benefited me is gaining more information on what I struggle with and learning how to take care of my mental health in general.
Mental health refers to a person’s psychological and emotional well-being. Millions of Americans are affected by mental health conditions …show more content…
Mental health is prevalent due to mental disorders being so common. Youth.gov recorded that “one in every four to five youths in the general population meet criteria for a lifetime mental disorder that is associated with severe role impairment and/or distress (11.2 percent with mood disorders, 8.3 percent with anxiety disorders, and 9.6 percent behavior disorders)”. Equipping young people with the knowledge and skills to be in charge of their own well-being could prevent young people from suffering mental health problems in the first place. “The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders” (Nimh.nih.gov). It is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers that make up the National Institutes of Health, which is the largest biomedical research agency in the world. According to Nimh.nih.gov, “For a young person with symptoms of a mental disorder, the earlier treatment is started, the more effective it can be. Early treatment can help prevent more severe, lasting problems as a child grows up.” Students would not only be able to identify symptoms and get help earlier, they can learn how to improve their own happiness and the well-being of their school and the …show more content…
If mental health education was mandatory, then the stigma would decrease and students’ well being would increase significantly.Education is prevalent in the United States, yet it continues to be achievement oriented rather than child oriented. By this I mean, education is not addressing all of the needs of students who need life skills to live effectively in this world. A child who is empowered has the competence to cope with the challenges of life using the available resources even amidst such adversities. With promotional activities, discussions, and development-oriented approaches students psychosocial competence has been proven to improve, according to the study done by The Indian Journal of Psychiatry. We as a nation need to make mental health a priority in schools, so adults and children can live better

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