Every year, millions of people in the United States are found to be living with a mental illness. To address this issue, in 1990, Congress designated the first full week of October as Mental Illness Awareness Week. The reason for this designation is to bring attention to the fact that mental illness not only affects the person who has it, but also their family, friends and others that they interact with.
.Mental illness affects one in twenty people in the Untied States each year and for one in five of these people it is very serious. Less than half of the people with mental illness in the nation are receiving adequate treatment.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness, the organization that has advocated for Mental Illness Awareness Week, hopes to bring attention to this serious issue through their 2023 campaign “Together we care. Together we share”. The objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues and resources by engaging communities and encouraging people to share their experiences.
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center has a comprehensive Mental Health Department. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call 718-206-5575.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.