Mental Illness Awareness Week

Mental Illness Awareness Week is October
5-11. That same week, our presidential candidates will hold a “town
hall” debate—in which up to a quarter of the audience are likely to have
experienced a mental illness.

That’s because one in four
adults lives with depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental illnesses every year. That’s almost 60
million Americans.

Mental illness does not
discriminate between Republicans and Democrats. It can strike anyone at any
time.

Mental health is part of health care and it is essential
that it be included in the nation’s health care reform debate.

Mental illness affects children. It affects people of color.
Two million Americans live with schizophrenia—twice the number of those with
HIV/AIDS. One in five veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan—almost 300,000
troops—will experience major depression or PTSD upon returning home. Unfortunately,
two-thirds of people who live with mental illnesses do not receive treatment.

But treatment works. Recovery is possible. Between now and
Election Day, every candidate needs to talk about these facts.

For more information, contact the
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at 800-950-NAMI (6264) or visit www.nami.org.