Make Mental Health Just Health | Maya Sharma | TEDxBolingbrook Youth

Mental Health Crisis Scale - Mental illness affects millions, yet it remains consistently underestimated and underfunded [2] - People with severe mental illness die on average 15 years earlier than the general population [3] - Over 700,000 lives are lost to suicide each year [3] - Governments dedicate only 2% of their health budgets to mental illness [4] - In developing nations, the average expenditure per person on mental health care was just two cents [4] Barriers to Seeking Help - Psychological signs of distress can manifest physically, leading to misdiagnosis or lack of treatment [5][6] - Among those diagnosed with mental illness, only 46% of white Americans, 23% of black Americans, and 18% of Asian-Americans accessed treatment last year [7] - Reaching mental health professionals often requires leaving daily routines and fighting stigma [9] Economic and Social Benefits of Treatment - For every $1 invested in mental health care, there is a $4 return in productivity and reduced healthcare costs [10] - Treated individuals miss 50% fewer work days and experience significant drops in homelessness and substance misuse [11] - Addressing mental illness shrinks the 10 to 20 year mortality gap [11] Solutions for Improvement - Train normal people (faith leaders, coaches, teachers, parents) to recognize expressions of distress [12] - Shift at least 5% of health budgets to mental health care [12] - Integrate support into everyday environments (temples, churches, mosques, grocery stores) [13]