Many people in the United States suffer with untreated mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, and work-related stress. These issues can have an adverse affect on interpersonal relationships, such as friendships and marriages. Furthermore, when left untreated, these issues can become exacerbated and create more hardship.
Mental Health Issues and Depression
Currently, it is believed that 16 million adults in the United States experience major depression. Every year, it is estimated that 1 in 5 adults will experience some type of mental illness, which includes depression as well as other mental illnesses.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that many individuals with mental illness have not received any medical health services. Approximately 60% of these individuals, for example, did not receive intervention within the past year.
Anxiety Disorders
The most common mental illnesses in the United States are anxiety disorders. These affect 40 million adults 18 and over. Even though these disorders are highly treatable by an anxiety therapist, it has been determined that only 33% of the individuals suffering with these issues are receiving treatment from an anxiety therapist.
Relationship Counseling and Marital Issues
There have been several studies that demonstrate the benefits of receiving couple’s counseling prior to getting married. It has been determined that this can make a significant difference in marital success. When compared with couples that didn’t receive counseling prior to becoming married, 30% of those that did experienced a more successful marriage.
The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists released data regarding the efficacy of couple’s therapy. This data indicates that 98% of the couples that received counseling were satisfied with their experience and the results.
When individuals and couples work with marriage and family therapists, 93% have reported that they learned how to deal more effectively with their relationship issues. This is because their therapists provided them with a variety of communication and other essential tools.
Job-Related Stress
Many employees believe that work-related stress has risen over the past generation. A recent survey showed that 75% of these individuals believe that modern work environments contain more stressors.
While some types of job-related stress are industry-specific, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reported that 40% of American workers claim that their job is “very or extremely stressful.”
The Importance of Seeking Help
When someone is experiencing these and other issues, making an appointment with a mental health professional may be beneficial. Since many therapists choose to specialize, individuals and/or couples may want to work with an anxiety therapist, relationship counselor, or another type of therapist in order to address their situation.
