25% of US is "mentally ill"

[KurtNYC]

Study: U.S. Leads In Mental Illness, Lags in Treatment

One-quarter of all Americans met the criteria for having a mental illness within the past year, and fully a quarter of those had a "serious" disorder that significantly disrupted their ability to function day to day, according to the largest and most detailed survey of the nation's mental health, published yesterday.

Although parallel studies in 27 other countries are not yet complete, the new numbers suggest that the United States is poised to rank No. 1 globally for mental illness, researchers said.

We lead the world in a lot of good things, but we're also leaders in this one particular domain that we'd rather not be," said Ronald Kessler, the Harvard professor of health care policy who led the effort, called the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/06/AR2005060601651.html?nav=hcmodule

So let me see here.... Half of Americans didn't vote so that leaves 50% that DID vote. Of that 50% a little less than half voted for * so half of half.... Yep 25% !

[Sannum]

1. oh my god! that works out perfectly

:)

[99Pancakes]

2. Great logic!

n/t

[DrDebug]

3. Blame Bush

He is a disease which must be stopped!

[Rex]

4. I'd say more like 50%

Or however many voted for Idiot Boy.

[whistle]

5. By George, that's 75 million nut cases, but you know something...

...that number seems too low. Alcoholism and drug addictions are considered mental illnesses by the AMA and 20% of adults 18 years old or older suffer from either alcoholism or a substance addition of some sort. Also, for every chronic alcoholic or addict (people who are unable to stop on their own, about half of the above number) there are at least three people who are very closely enmeshed, spouses, parents, siblings, children, significant others, friends, who are emotionally, physically or mentally so affected by the illness of the alcoholic or addict, as to also need emotional or mental help. That adds another 30%, so that just from these two broad conditions, half the population are mentally disturbed. Couple that with the stresses and numerous other severe mental disorders in the general population and I'll bet the figure easily comes to two thirds or more of the country. No wonder republicans are getting voted into power!

[NMMNG]

6. Let's keep in mind though

That of the individuals who have a diagnosable form of mental illness, “On any given day, at least 284,000 schizophrenic and manic depressive individuals are incarcerated(Congressman Ted Strickland, http://www.hrw.org/reports/2003/usa1003/3.htm )

Of the 1,012,582 total hospital admissions in the U.S. in 1998, 261,903 (25.8 percent) were psychiatric admissions (http://www.namidanecounty.org/facts.html) While this particular statistic is from 1998, the percentage is likely similar even today.

Approximately 200,000 individuals with schizophrenia or manic-depressive illness are homeless, constituting one-third of the approximately 600,000 homeless population ( http://www.psychlaws.org/GeneralResources/fact11.htm )


Why is this important? People in prisons, people in hospitals and homeless people are unlikely to be at the polls on election day.

I despise Mr. Chimpy as much as the rest of you, but in taking a stab at him and his voters people with mental illnesses are being stigmatized yet again.

:rant:

[LightningFlash]

7. 25% of the United States= Freepers...

And they are proud of stealing elections and being absolutely repulsive, as far as I can tell. In every complete way this is a real problem when there are so many mentally ill americans and now a governing body of far-right jesus worshippers.

[Deja Q]

8. Many of them made that way by an insane society... ran by a

person who appears to suffer from schizophrenia. :think: Remember, as a maladjusted psychotic sociopath, he's even said on many occasions God talks to him. Now if I went around saying that, I'd be sent to the nuthouse. How come * is still in power?

[HeeBGBz]

9. I'm surprised they didn't say 49%

That's their new mantra. Liberals are mentally ill.

I had one little arrogant prick tell me I was delusional back during the Schiavo thing. I've noticed that the trollers at various websites spout that same shit.