Answer:
1. Mental illness is a general term for a group of illnesses that may include symptoms that can affect a person's thinking, perceptions, mood or behaviour. Mental illness can make it difficult for someone to cope with work, relationships and other demands.
2. There are pros and cons to mental health diagnosis. So what does it mean for your child?
From the time they arrive into our lives, we cannot help but compare our children – How much did he weigh? How much does she sleep? Are you able to put yours down quickly? Is she saying much yet?
If your child’s behavior starts to seem quite different from their peers, you may begin to wonder if there is “something wrong with them.” While children develop at different rates, a clinical assessment from a mental health professional and possibly some early intervention can be beneficial.
3. The barriers to mental healthcare access are significant issues facing many Americans. More than half of adults with mental illness in the U.S. do not receive mental healthcare treatment. That statistic alone is cause for concern. But mental health issues are far more common than most people realize. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 in 5 American adults have experienced a mental health issue, and 1 in 25 Americans live with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression.
