Mental illness is the leading cause of disability in the US, Canada and western Europe. Some of the issues that college students and other youth deal with includes: anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, sexual assault, and personality disorders. Origins to these mental health issues are usually attributed to heredity or environmental factors. Adults in good mental health are able to function under adversity, change or adapt to change, maintain control over tension or anxiety, find more satisfaction in giving than receiving, show consideration, curb hate and guilt, and love others.
Prior to the 1950's and 60's, labotomy and shock therapy were the norms for dealing with mental health patients. After this, came about antipsychotic drugs. The deinstitutionalism of mental health facilities started after this point and thousands of patients were removed from state-owned mental hospitals to more community based settings. There was a push to reduce spending for mental hospitals, and an economic pull towards profits from providing outpatient and inpatient services.
Today there is a steady increase of people with mental health problems that get stuck in jail because there's no where else to house them, and there's a limitation of services that are open. They have problems getting their medication,and when they do get it, they have no support system, and often stop taking the meds. This coincidentally lands them back in jail. The community needs to recognize that a lot of the people with mental illness also suffer from not having certain resources like housing, transportation, food, medical care and adequate income.
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