| It is an established fact that almost two-thirds of all | | | | and Narcotics Anonymous. These offer an amazingly |
| people afflicted with some kind of mental dysfunction | | | | effective therapeutic support systems for sufferers, |
| do not seek treatment. This is confirmed by the | | | | free of cost. |
| WHO's Global Burden of Disease study. | | | | There are various organizations that monitor and |
| The reasons for that people do not seek treatment | | | | streamline mental health efforts on a national scale |
| vary, but some of the most common ones are a | | | | today. Among them are the Center for Mental Health |
| fear of the social stigma attached to mental disease; | | | | Services (CMHS), the Substance Abuse and Mental |
| a fear of compromised security (loss of job, spouse, | | | | Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the |
| benefits entitlement, etc.); an inability to pay for | | | | Federal Action Agenda for Mental Health. These |
| treatment; or lack of awareness of the problem. | | | | organizations exist to ensure fair and helpful practices |
| Thankfully, many forms of mental disease are no | | | | among mental health professionals and to upgrade |
| longer looked down upon; nor are those who suffer | | | | the standards of mental health services as and when |
| from them necessarily ostracized in society or at the | | | | necessary. |
| workplace. Many progressive companies now offer | | | | Basically, professional mental health services offer |
| more time to their employees for recovery from | | | | treatment for either the whole gamut of mental |
| mental illness, and there is a decided increase in | | | | disorders, or they specialize in them individually. The |
| general social awareness prevalent today. | | | | onus of treatment in present times is on the most |
| Considering its increased prevalence today, it is | | | | prevalent: anxiety disorders such as |
| understandable that mental health has become a | | | | obsessive-compulsive and post-traumatic-stress |
| lucrative money-spinner. Psychiatrists and | | | | disorders; bipolar and manic-depressive disorders; |
| psychologists are amongst the highest-paid | | | | schizophrenia; behavioral disorders, such a eating |
| professionals in the modern world. This being so, | | | | disorders; and ADHD/ADD (Attention Deficit |
| there is a lot to be said for self-help groups like | | | | Hyperactivity Disorders). |
| Schizophrenics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, | | | | |