If you’re living with a mental health disorder, you might be feeling alone, isolated, or just plain weird. But, actually, mental health disorders are common. Extremely common. Millions and millions of Americans are living with some kind of mental health challenge. You’re not alone!

With the widespread prevalence of mental health disorders, it’s time to stop the stigmas associated with them. Think about it. Does society make people feel ashamed or embarrassed that they have a physical illness, whether it’s something as common as the flu or something as complex as cancer? Of course not! Let’s start treating mental health disorders the same way. They’re caused by an imbalance in the mind that is no fault of the person affected.

To help destigmatize mental health challenges, here’s a quick overview of four of the most common.

Depression

People with depression often feel sad or disinterested in things they used to care about, like hobbies or even relationships. That apathetic feeling can lead to feelings of guilt or irritation and can make you want to isolate yourself. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The World Health Organization estimates that 300 million people are currently living with depression.

Anxiety

Many people experience anxious feelings throughout their lives. For those living with anxiety disorder, those feelings are extremely common and can be crippling. Anxiety disorder can make your thoughts race and bring about unwelcome thought patterns. It’s characterized by a disproportionate response to certain situations and an inability to calm the worried mind. Anxiety is extremely widespread. In fact, a Cambridge Study estimates that as many as one in four people across the globe have anxiety disorder.

Dementia

We all know that aging and injury can affect the body, but we often fail to think about how they affect the brain until the impacts are right in front of us. Dementia is usually progressive and deteriorates the person’s cognitive function over time, making it hard to do seemingly simple things like recall memories or perform household chores. The World Health Organization estimates that 50 million people around the world are living with dementia.

Bipolar affective disorder

If you feel like your moods swing faster than the average person’s, you might be living with bipolar affective disorder. This disorder results in people moving quickly between manic and depressive episodes, sometimes with periods of balanced mood in between. Again, the World Health Organization has a helpful approximation of the widespread nature of this disorder. They report that it affects roughly 60 million people worldwide.

Treatment for mental health disorders

If any of these sound familiar, we have good news. Like physical illnesses, mental health disorders are treatable. You don’t have to live your life feeling like you can’t control your brain.

If you want to get started with comfortable, effective treatment, call, text, or email us at the Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center. Our team of dedicated therapists offers psychotherapy, group sessions, and more to help you lead your healthiest, most balanced life. Get in touch today!