On December 14, 2012 the mass shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. stopped me in my tracks – I stared at the screen and tears filled my eyes. As the tears dripped from my eyes I wanted to leave my job, run to my car and drive 90 MPH to get my own children out of school. I wanted to hold them as tight as I could. When an event like this happens it makes your mind spin, the questions fill your thoughts and discuss that yet another mass shooting has occurred.

This time small children were mowed down in a room with no chance of an exit and teachers who stood like warriors to protect the ones they were there to teach.

I have always said…and I will say again, teachers are under paid and not given near the credit they deserve. They see and deal with more than just math and English; they see the first signs of mental illness developing in our very young generation.

Mental Illness is over diagnosis as much as under diagnosis, children are started are mind alternating drugs at a early age. By the time they are teenagers more medications have been added or they quit all medications cold turkey which causes issues as well.

Mental Illness is a word no one wants to talk about – crazy people -the loony bin – the insane asylum. People mostly fear what they do not understand and have this unrealistic idea that all “mentally ill” should be locked up.

 Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older or about one in four adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.

In the U.S., mental disorders are diagnosed based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV).

Mood disorders include major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder. Approximately 20.9 million American adults, or about 9.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year, have a mood disorder.The median age of onset for mood disorders is 30 years. Depressive disorders often co-occur with anxiety disorders and substance abuse.

Suicide In 2004, 32,439 (approximately 11 per 100,000) people died by suicide in the U.S.7 More than 90 percent of people who kill themselves have a diagnosable mental disorder, most commonly a depressive disorder or a substance abuse disorder. The highest suicide rates in the U.S. are found in white men over age 85. Four times as many men as women die by suicide; however, women attempt suicide two to three times as often as men.

Schizophrenia: Approximately 2.4 million American adults, or about 1.1 percent of the population age 18 and older in a given year, have schizophrenia.

• Schizophrenia affects men and women with equal frequency.
• Schizophrenia often first appears in men in their late teens or early twenties. In contrast, women are generally affected in their twenties or early thirties.

Anxiety disorders: include panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and phobias (social phobia, agoraphobia, and specific phobia).  Approximately 40 million American adults ages 18 and older, or about 18.1 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have an anxiety disorder.

Panic Disorder: Approximately 6 million American adults ages 18 and older, or about 2.7 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have panic disorder. Panic disorder typically develops in early adulthood (median age of onset is 24), but the age of onset extends throughout adulthood.

Obessive-Compulsice Disorder (OCD)Approximately 2.2 million American adults age 18 and older, or about 1.0 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have OCD. The first symptoms of OCD often begin during childhood or adolescence, however, the median age of onset is 19.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder  (PTSD): Approximately 7.7 million American adults age 18 and older, or about 3.5 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have PTSD.

• PTSD can develop at any age, including childhood, but research shows that the median age of onset is 23 years.
• About 19 percent of Vietnam veterans experienced PTSD at some point after the war. The disorder also frequently occurs after violent personal assaults such as rape, mugging, or domestic violence; terrorism; natural or human-caused disasters; and accidents.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Approximately 6.8 million American adults, or about 3.1 percent of people age 18 and over, have GAD in a given year.
Social Phobia:Approximately 15 million American adults age 18 and over, or about 6.8 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have social phobia. Social phobia begins in childhood or adolescence, typically around 13 years of age.

Eating Disorders: The three main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):ADHD, one of the most common mental disorders in children and adolescents, also affects an estimated 4.1 percent of adults, ages 18-44, in a given year.  ADHD usually becomes evident in preschool or early elementary years. The median age of onset of ADHD is seven years, although the disorder can persist into adolescence and occasionally into adulthood.

Autism:Autism is part of a group of disorders called autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), also known as pervasive developmental disorders. ASDs range in severity, with autism being the most debilitating form while other disorders, such as Asperger syndrome, produce milder symptoms..

Alzheimer’s Disease: AD affects an estimated 4.5 million Americans. The number of Americans with AD has more than doubled since 1980.

Basically what I am trying to tell you – it is not about the guns control in the USA – if we tried to cage every person with mental illness we would have America in a cage that covered everyone. Mental may not be talked about – but it is not hidden. It is in your front door, back door, work place, schools and on every street.

For a closer look at how a mother who has a mentally ill child feels read this link: http://mashable.com/2012/12/16/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother/

What happens in a family behind closed doors is always different that what you see on the outside. Don’t judge what you do not know – let’s talk mental illness… it is no longer a secret it is showing up in the news every day. It has a name, let’s use it. If you have read this far you KNOW someone who has mental illness. It is everyone’s job to educate and learn what it is and how to make it better with out adding one more pill.

 

Angela was voted 110th Leading Moms in Business she is also proud for her achievement of being the first member of her business to build a solid Silver 2nd level Team Performance and over 30,000 in volume without using the phone. She is setting a model of how to build relationships online, through social media, blogging and email.