May is Mental Health Awareness month; it was started in 1949 to bring attention to the many Americans who struggle with mental health disabilities.
Suicide rates have climbed 34.2% since 2018 according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and is the second leading cause of death for children ages 10-14, and the third leading cause for people ages 15-24. Overall, suicide claimed an estimated 48,000 people in 2021.
Mindy Tkach, SHS Aevidum club advisor for 8 years, stated, “Social media has such a big impact on suicide rates. So much has changed since COVID, the way family dynamics are, and things have changed socially. It can and does put a lot of pressure on the younger generation.”
When asked if she believes if substance abuse and Mental health go together, Debra Weikert, SHS Mental Health Professional said, “a lot of people ‘self medicate’ with drugs or alcohol, as a way to escape or numb the pain.”
Both Jillian Haubrich and Wendy Marsh, SHS Nurses, believe that when people use drugs and alcohol “they are looking to numb the pain, escape, or to feel less of their emotions”
According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics–
- 40.3 million people in the United States have a substance use disorder but only 6.5% of them received treatment.
- 21.4% of people 12 and over have used illegal drugs or misused prescription drugs within the last year.
- 50% of people 12 and older have admitted to using a illicit drugs at least once
- 13.5% of Americans 12 and over used drugs in the last month, a 3.8% increase from 2018
- 57.27 million people use tobacco or nicotine products such as a vape.
- 25.4% of illegal drug users have a drug disorder.
- 24.7% of those with drug disorders have an opioid disorder; this includes prescription pain relievers and heroin.
- 138.52 million Americans 12 and over drink alcohol.
- 20.4% of them have an alcohol use disorder.
- Over 700,000 drug overdose deaths occur in the US annually. The number of overdose deaths increases at an annual rate of 4.0%.
According to NIMH about one billion people cope with mental illness by self-harming, which is about 17% of the world’s population. 450 million or 45% of people use cutting as their primary way of self-injury. 225 million or 50% of those people seek help, but only from friends instead of professionals. The average age that people start to self harm is 13.
Haubrich believes this can be to “give them a sense of control.”
In people who self-harm, one in five people have personality disorders, one in seven have adjustment disorders, and one in nine people have mood disorders.
“Speak up don’t be afraid to talk to someone about it. Quite often people are going through similar stuff so talking about it makes it easier,” says Tkach.
Weikert reaffirms this stating, “Find the people you feel safe with and find someone to talk to recognize that you have the power in you to make positive changes.”
Both Haubrich and Marsh stated,”Talk to someone, reach out, get help.”
If you or someone you know needs help, reach out to a trusted adult or go to https://www.safe2saypa.org/
The Crisis Lifeline is always an option as well, just call 988.
