Political Quotes

“I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing May as National Mental Health Awareness Month. Sadly, mental health is a subject that often does not receive the attention it deserves in our society, despite the fact that mental illness touches the lives of tens of millions of Americans each year. Nearly 50 percent of American adults will develop at least one mental illness in their lifetimes, and in a given year, one in four American adults, more than 60 million people, experiences some form of mental illness. Of that number, approximately 5.8 percent suffer from a serious mental disorder like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. Mental illness can have a devastating impact on an individual's overall health and quality of life. Those suffering from serious mental illnesses are not only at increased risk for chronic medical conditions, but they also die, on average, 25 years earlier than other Americans, due in large part to treatable medical conditions. Adults with severe mental disorders are also much more likely to be impoverished, further limiting their access to health care services needed to help manage their illnesses. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics found that the presence of a household member with a severe mental illness was shown to increase the likelihood of poverty in a home by more than three times. Mental illness also has a significant impact on our country's economy.…”