LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – Today is World Mental Health Day, a day to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world. One in five American adults experiences a mental health problem, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

“One in 20 people suffer from a serious mental illness and approximately 59% of people with mental illness problems were treated in 2023. This represents 40% of people struggling with depression and anxiety who have not contacted and got treatment or maybe they reached out and failed,” said Beth Carson, psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety are just some of the mental health conditions many face. Carson explained some of the visible signs of these disorders.

“Some of the symptoms may be being less involved in the things you used to enjoy, anxiety, feeling nervous about wanting to isolate yourself, feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, feelings of worthlessness, these are things that a person might notice themselves,” Carson said. .

Carson stressed how important it is for people to see the signs of mental health disorders in others and ask them if they need help.

“If this is you, tell someone. If you’re worried about a friend or family member, ask them, “Hey, is everything okay?” What’s going on with you? Do you want to talk about something? There’s never a reason not to ask a friend if they’re going through something,” Carson said.

Carson says there is a lot of stigma when it comes to mental health, but she hopes to bring more awareness to these issues.

Some valuable resources for people experiencing mental health issues include the National Alliance on Mental Illnesses (NAMI), the Calm app, 211, and the 988 Lifeline.

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