For nearly 70 years, Mental Health Awareness Month has been nationally recognized in May to shine light on the mental disorders affecting an estimated 1 in 5 people in the U.S. each year.
Throughout the month, Mental Health America, a nationwide nonprofit with offices on Oahu and Maui that works to address the needs of people living with mental illness, is highlighting major risk factors — such as addiction, unsafe sex, drug misuse and excessive spending — and how they relate to mental health and mental illness, as well as their acute impact on young people.
Half of mental illnesses begin by age 14, and 75 percent of mental illnesses develop by age 24, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Sometimes, the symptoms of mental illness and normal changes in behavior can be confused during this time, making it difficult to identify problems.
It is clear that we must do more to encourage youth and young adults to seek support for issues and be aware of the risk factors and behaviors that can serve as early symptoms of mental illness. Hawaii’s annual average for the treatment of depression (a common mental illness) among adolescents with a major depressive episode was less than a third from 2007-2014, according to the 2015 Behavioral Health Barometer for Hawaii, provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
At Hale Kipa, a nonprofit that has provided residential, outreach and foster care services to more than 50,000 at-risk youth and their families in Hawaii since 1970, we work closely with numerous youth and young adults impacted by stressors that affect their mental health daily — either personally or through a close friend or family member. Like many others, we find that mental health can be at its optimum when youth are engaged in healthy activities, positive relationships and safe environments with supportive adults.
Although we often see the terms “mental health” and “mental illness” used interchangeably, it is important to distinguish them. We all have mental health (just like physical health) that we work to maintain (through practices like stress management, exercise and setting realistic goals), while mental illness is often viewed as a defined set of symptoms that distinctly impacts that person’s thinking or behavior.
Sometimes people choose to treat mental illness — including through various therapies or medications — if there are associated psychological issues that are negatively impacting their lives or level of functioning. Sometimes, they do not. Mental illness is common and complex, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Family guidance centers provide services for youth throughout Hawaii, and organizations work with the state to provide wraparound support for a more complete network of care.
I encourage everyone to learn more about Hawaii’s resources and services by visiting health.hawaii.gov and Mental Health America of Hawaii at mentalhealthhawaii.org. Also follow #riskybusiness on Twitter to learn about possible indicators of mental illness and read the stories of others.
Nazo Shamal, Psy.D., L.C.S.W., is clinical supervisor at Hale Kipa, a nonprofit that works with at-risk youths and their families.
