A new survey conducted by the American Psychiatric Association shows 44% of the People in US have absolutely no idea about mental illness, its symptoms, causes or the methods of treatment.
The association’s survey also showed that one-third of the Americans believed wrongly that an emotional or personal weakness is a major cause for mental illness. But the survey also showed that almost about 84% of the people felt that they would benefit by learning more about these disorders and the warning signs associated with them.Dr. Carolyn Robinowtiz, president-elect of the association, said in a statement, that the consequences of these gaps in knowledge about the illness are quite serious. She stated that about one in five Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder during any given year. So stating that only few families are untouched by a mental illness, she explained that all the families would benefit from understanding how these disorders can impact their lives.
The APA is of the opinion genetic and environmental factors cause mental illnesses. Traumatic events, and other physical illnesses and injuries can contribute to psychiatric side effects.
