Mental Health - Clinical by Population & Age

For the second installment of our mental health series, Stan, Clarence, and Dr. Mike Trangle explore mental health through different population and age groups.

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Brought to you in support of Hue-MAN, who is Creating Healthy Communities through Innovative Partnerships. More about their work can be found at http://huemanpartnership.org/

Research

Mental Health Type, Diagnosis & Treatment

Types

Behavioral health (sometimes called mental health) includes a person’s psychological, emotional and social wellbeing. It shapes the way you think, feel, behave and interact with others. Your mental state also affects how you cope with stress. It’s a vital part of your life, from infancy through adulthood
Mental (behavioral) health disorders, or mental illnesses, affect the way you think and behave. They change your mood and can make it difficult to function at home, work, school or in your community.
It’s important to note that having poor mental health doesn’t always mean you have a behavioral health disorder. You can also have a behavioral health disorder and still go through long periods of good mental health

There are more than 200 types of mental health disorders. A few of the most common types of mental health disorders include:

Anxiety disorders.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Autism spectrum disorder.
Depression, bipolar disorder and other mood disorders.
Disruptive behavior disorders, such as oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder.
Eating disorders.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Personality disorders, including borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
Substance use disorders, including drug addiction and alcohol use disorder.

Diagnosis

Behavioral health disorders can have many causes. They might be the result of abnormal genes. You may inherit those genes from a parent, or genes can change during your life. Chemical imbalances in your brain can also lead to mental illness
How are mental health disorders diagnosed?

It’s important to get a diagnosis from a healthcare provider who specializes in behavioral health disorders. You need an accurate diagnosis to receive the right treatment.
A healthcare provider will carefully review your symptoms to evaluate your mental health. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider:

If there are any specific triggers that make your mental health worse.
If your mental health problems are chronic (ongoing) or if they come and go.
When you first noticed changes in your mental health.
There aren’t any medical tests that can diagnose mental illnesses. But your healthcare provider may perform tests, such as blood work or imaging exams, to rule out other conditions that can affect mental health.

Treatments

Medication: Some mental illnesses respond well to medication, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics. These medicines change the chemicals in your brain, so you experience fewer symptoms. It’s very important to take medication exactly as your healthcare provider directs. Never stop taking medication for a mental illness without consulting your healthcare provider.
Psychotherapy: Talking to a mental health professional can help you work through the challenges of an illness and manage its symptoms. Psychotherapy can be in a one-to-one setting with a healthcare provider or a group setting. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy. It focuses on helping you change negative behaviors and thought patterns.
Alternative therapies: Some mental illnesses, such as depression, may improve with alternative therapies. Examples include herbal remedies, massage, acupuncture, yoga and meditation. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking any herbal remedies or supplements. They may affect other medications.
Brain stimulation therapies: Not all disorders improve with medication. If that’s the case, your healthcare provider may recommend brain stimulation therapies. These treatments change the way nerves and other cells in your brain process chemicals and respond to stimuli. Examples include electroconvulsive therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Which disorders affect certain populations more? Age trends?

Anyone of any age, sex, background or ethnicity can get a behavioral health disorder. People designated female at birth (DFAB) more commonly experience depression, anxiety and eating disorders. While people designated male at birth (DMAB) are more likely to experience substance abuse and antisocial personality disorders. Behavioral problems and ADHD are more common in adolescents
Behavioral health disorders are common in the United States. About 1 in 5 adults and adolescents live with a mental health disorder. About half of all mental illnesses begin by age 14 and three-quarters begin by age 24
Suicide, which is often associated with mental illness, is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. It’s the second leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 34
Behavioral health disorders, which affect about 20% of people in the U.S., impact how you think, feel and behave. They can make it difficult to function at home, school or work. But there are treatments. Getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step toward managing a mental health disorder. Talk to your healthcare provider if you or your child show any signs or symptoms.
Ethnic/racial minorities often bear a disproportionately high burden of disability resulting from mental disorders.
Although rates of depression are lower in blacks (24.6%) and Hispanics (19.6%) than in whites (34.7%), depression in blacks and Hispanics is likely to be more persistent. 6 US Population: Race/Ethnicity White 61.3% AI/AN 1.3% Black 13.3% NH/OPI 0.2% Asian 5.7% Hispanic 17.8%
People who identify as being two or more races (24.9%) are most likely to report any mental illness within the past year than any other race/ethnic group, followed by American Indian/Alaska Natives (22.7%), white (19%), and black (16.8%).
American Indians/Alaskan Natives report higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol dependence than any other ethic/ racial group.
White Americans are more likely to die by suicide than people of other ethnic/racial group

What do we see more of today and why?

Anxiety disorders, 40 million is US alone

COVID-19, increase in technology?

Mental Health in MN

from February 1 to 13, 2023, 28.3% of adults in Minnesota reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder, compared to 32.3% of adults in the U.S.
In 2021, 20.1% of adolescents (ages 12-17) and 8.3% of adults in the U.S. reported having a major depressive episode in the past year.
The pandemic has coincided with an increase in substance use and increased death rates due to substances.

Opioid overdoses are the primary driver of increases in drug overdose deaths.
In 2000, opioid overdoses represented 48% of drug overdose deaths in the U.S.; by 2021, they represented 75% of these deaths.

In May 2022, among adults in Minnesota who reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder, 30.6% reported needing counseling or therapy but not receiving it in the past four weeks, compared to the U.S. average of 28.2%.
Rural residents in the USA experience significant disparities in mental health outcomes even though the prevalence of mental illness in rural and metropolitan areas is similar

Mental Health in America in 2023

The vast majority of individuals with a substance use disorder in the U.S. are not receiving treatment. 15.35% of adults had a substance use disorder in the past year. Of them, 93.5% did not receive any form of treatment.
According to Mental Health America, in 2023 Minnesota ranked 28th for access to care and the prevalence of mental illness for all ages.
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are nearly 4x more likely to attempt suicide than straight youth
79% of people who die by suicide are male
Transgender adults are nearly 9x more likely to attempt suicide at some point in their lifetime compared to the general population
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-14
One in six U.S. adults is unable to get or afford professional help when experiencing emotional distress.

Mental Health Across the World

Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion in lost productivity each year
Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide
The U.S. has the highest suicide rate among 11 high-income countries, and the rate has increased every year since 2000.
The United States has some of the worst mental health–related outcomes, including the highest suicide rate and second-highest drug-related death rate.

Questions about the state of mental health:

Do most Americans have adequate access to mental health resources and care?
Is there adequate access to mental health resources and care in Minnesota?
How does Minnesota compare to other states in terms of access to care and the prevalence of mental health?