|
Grim Statistics from NIMH On Mental Illness |
Tom Insel, director of the NIMH, shared some grim statistics about severe mental illness and showcased the Treatment Advocacy Center in a recent blog on the institute’s web site.
Wrote Insel, “Several facts about mental illness in the United States
always seem to surprise those who are not directly involved":
-
Each year, there are nearly twice as many suicides (33,000) as homicides (18,000).
-
The life expectancy for people with major mental illness is 56 years (the average life expectancy in the U.S. is 77.7 years).
-
Mental disorders and substance abuse are the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada.
“To this list we can now add another statistic—according to the
Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC),” he said, citing the study of jails and
hospitals we released with the National Sheriffs Association in May.
“People with mental illness are three times more likely to be in the
criminal justice system than hospitals.” Insel blamed the 90% reduction
in hospital beds over the last 50 years and the popularity of mandatory
sentencing laws as prime culprits in criminalizing mental illness.
|