MHAND is partnering with 2012 Miss Teen Wahpeton Kenzi Spiekermeier and 2013 Miss North Dakota International Taylor Wagner to present national Mental Health America's campaign Do More for 1 in 4.
The brain, like any other organ, is susceptible to organ specific disorders (pancreas and diabetes, liver and jaundice, heart and numerous heart conditions). Unfortunately, brain disorders (mental illnesses) have a stigma that these other disorders do not have. Perhaps it is because brain disorders cannot be measured in numbers like insulin levels or cannot be compared to a scale like arterial blockage.
Scientists are currently using brain scans to try to learn more about how mental illness affects the brain. These scans cannot diagnose mental illness, but may be able to rule in or out other organic conditions (such as tumors) that may be causing symptoms similar to mental illness. For more information, read this article by the National Institute of Mental Health.
Diagnostic methods aside, one out of every four Americans will develop a treatable mental illness over his or her lifetime. Many will either completely recover or find medication and other therapies to live a full and healthy life.
Do More for 1 in 4 strives to educate the public about 4 specific mental illnesses, to provide information and resources for help, and to reduce the stigma of mental illness. During the 2012-2013 academic year, Do More for 1 in 4 will target the high school and college populations, and will subsequently be available to the general public.
Note: The information on these pages are not intended to provide a diagnosis of any mental illness. Only a professional can provide a diagnosis. If you believe that you or someone you know may have an undiagnosed mental illness, contact a mental health provider in your area.