Having a condition or challenge that affects you both physically and mentally can feel very isolating. However, behavioral health challenges are very common — if you are experiencing them, you are not alone.
If your condition or challenge is having a significant impact on you and/or your loved ones, it’s time to take positive action. Don’t be afraid to seek help.
Get Help With Your Behavioral Health Challenge
Behavioral Health Statistics
Many people, more than you might think, either previously had or currently live with behavioral health challenges. Even the smaller percentages on this list still represent millions of individual people.
Substance Use Challenges
A substance use disorder is when a person becomes addicted to a substance and/or the use of that substance begins to significantly impact their daily life. The substance could be tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, or something else.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 40.3 million U.S. residents aged 12 or older (14.5%) had a substance use disorder. That includes 28.3 million with alcohol use disorder, 18.4 million with an illicit drug use disorder, and 6.5% with both alcohol use disorder and an illicit drug use disorder.
Therapy is a common treatment for substance abuse, though detoxification and taking medication can also be effective recommended treatments depending on the particular patient’s situation.
Eating Disorders
Some of the most common eating disorders include binge-eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), these disorders are more prevalent among females than males but can happen to anyone. Eating disorders can be a result of body image issues and are often triggered by stress.
The most prevalent eating disorder is binge-eating disorder, which affects 2.8% of people within their lifetimes. The next most prevalent is bulimia nervosa at 1%, then anorexia nervosa at 0.6%.
The most common treatment for these conditions is therapy.
OCD
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a disorder where the person has repetitive, uncontrollable thoughts and behaviors they feel compelled to enact over and over again. According to NIMH, about half of the adults who have OCD report it as having a “serious” impairment in their lives.
The lifetime prevalence of people with OCD is 2.3%. The most common treatment option for OCD includes therapy and medication.
ADHD
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder characterized by having symptoms such as hyperactivity, trouble focusing, and having trouble controlling behavior. Diagnoses of this disorder among children have increased in recent years and usually happen around the age of six, but there are also many adults who have this condition, often without knowing it.
Males are more likely to develop ADHD than females, according to NIMH statistics. Keep in mind that ADHD symptoms in females can manifest differently from those in males, which may be part of the reason fewer females are diagnosed.
While ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood, there are many people who go undiagnosed until adulthood. The lifetime prevalence of adults with ADHD is 4.4%.
The most common way of treating ADHD includes taking medication, and 69.3% of children diagnosed with ADHD take medication for it.
What to Do If You Have a Behavioral Health Challenge
If you or a loved one are suffering from a behavioral health challenge, don’t be afraid to seek the help of a professional. Depending on how severe the condition is, the solution could include inpatient or outpatient care, therapy, medication, or another care option.
Sunrise has been serving the Pacific Northwest community for nearly half a century. We provide a wide range of behavioral health services individualized for the needs of every patient. If you are looking for high-quality behavioral healthcare in Everett, don’t hesitate to contact Sunrise today.