Something that can be just as painful and just as serious as physical/medical issues are mental/neurological issues. About over 450 Million people suffer from some type of Mental health problem making the leading causes of disabilities and bad health all around the world and also making it the leading cause of self-harm and suicide. A mental illness is something that you can’t see physically, like a wound for example. It’s more like you can see symptoms in the way it effects a person by the way they act causing what people would call “unusual behavior”. There are many types of mental health problems ranging from the way a person feels, thinks and behave, thus there being a wide range of mental health disorders,

“The most common mental health issues that I work with clients on is Anxiety, Depression and Adjustment disorders,” Therapist Jill Everett said.

Patients who suffer from any mental health issues face daily struggles as it takes a lot out of them to get through there day normally without it getting in the way of their lives,

“I suffer(ed) from depression, in my case the inability to see the light in any situation and a constant cloud of apathy around me; my anxiety causes overwhelming fear and dread around anything from socializing to schoolwork to absolutely nothing at all.” East high student Emily Sorenson said.

Many people don’t really understand what a mental illness is as the only presence it has is in media as its often portrayed to be something false. For example, in many horror movies people with a mental illness is often portrayed as “the killer” most of the time causing there to be stigma around what a mental disorder actually is.

“I think they portray it more as a joke then what it actually is.” Lincoln Student Laura Jazmine Mendez said.

Which is often the case why its so misunderstood and not taken seriously. Trying to help someone one with a mental illness isn’t easy as everyone is different, but just being there for them and offering love and support and listening to them goes a long way, There’s always professional help out there, therapy, treatments and medications.

“Something to help cope is to have a playlist of comfort music for when I feel bad, using fidget toys to help with managing anxiousness; stuff like that.” Sorenson said.

Understanding and helping people with a mental illness helps more than you think because these actions often save lives as people with these illnesses can’t think clearly and make irrational decisions, so anything helps them, so they can help themselves and change for the better