The Secret Reason the World Is In Pain

In our world today, countless people are ill. Most of the people you see today have an

illness that can be debilitating. You may think that because you cannot see their symptoms, or

because they do not have any visible injuries, that they are fine. For some, that may be so.

However, “one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at

some point in their lives.” (World Health Organization). For these people, these silent illnesses

are controlling their thoughts, making working harder, making communication harder, and

making living harder. For so many people suffering, you would think there would be more

awareness. But, for many reasons, these people are embarrassed to reach out and get help. This

may be because they are worried of what their peers might think of the. Some are worried of

what their families might say. Some people may have been raised with the idea that mental

illnesses only affect the evilest of people and they feel as though they shouldn’t admit their pain

in fear of being exiled. No matter the reason, the people who do not get help continue to live

with their illnesses in silence as they worsen. Many of these people who are too scared to report

their illnesses end their lives early because they feel there is no other way out. Others who try to

seek help may be turned away due to their finances, or there may be no resources where they are

located. Even if this does not affect you directly, it still affects you. A professional field made of

people who have untreated mental illness cannot flourish. An economy that depends on workers

who have untreated mental illnesses will lose money when their workers take days off because

they cannot fathom having to act as if there is nothing wrong for another day. Your niece or

nephew may be silently suffering and failing school because they are trapped inside their minds,

ruining their future. Your sister or brother might be suffering so much that they end their own

lives because they felt as if they had no other way. It is extremely important that we, as a society,
address the silent killer that is mental illness, address what we can do to make it easier for those

suffering to get resources, and to make those suffering more comfortable coming forward with

their symptoms to begin their road to recovery.

A crucial part of beginning the journey of healing our population is awareness. Children

must learn in schools that mental health is just as important to your overall well-being as exercise

and eating right. There should be mandatory implementing of mental education and

workshopping into curriculum as early as elementary school. Just as physical education is a

mandatory class, mental education should be as well. This solution may be harder in some

countries were mental illness is stigmatized, and it reflects in their education system. Nancy

Barile, an award-winning teacher and Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of Education at

Emmanuel College in Boston, Massachusetts, witnesses the effects of students’ mental health

issues first hand. “Underlining the seriousness is the fact that 60 percent of high school students

with mental illness don't graduate” (Barile). This problem is not only present in America. Ryann

Tanap, an Asian-American woman who spoke out on the fear among the Asian-American and

Pacific Islander community about receiving therapy. In many Asian countries, people who admit

their mental illness are told that they should be ashamed, “If you admit you need help for your

mental health, parents and other family members might experience fear and shame. [Asian

parents] may assume that your condition is a result of their poor parenting or a hereditary flaw,

and that you’re broken because of them” (Tanap). Many Asian children will prevent this burden

by never admitting their problem. This stems from the lack of awareness built into the education

system, and the strong judgment the society, gender roles, and family roles of China. With China

as the leading country in the world for mental disorders, specifically untreated, and the most

populated country, it is crucial that change is evoked, and it should begin with the youth.
 The lack of education about mental health does not only stem from lack of mental

education, but it also stems from history class. Cultural stigmas stem from century-old stories

that have been deeply embedded in cultures and societies with these beliefs. Ingrid Farreras, an

Associate Professor of Psychology at Hood College (Maryland), studies and teaches the

historical background of where stigmas about mental illnesses started the common beliefs that

have remained present throughout history. “Throughout history there have been three general

theories of the etiology of mental illness: supernatural, somatogenic, and psychogenic.”

(Farreras). The idea that mental illness is actually rooted from evil is an idea that has embedded

itself in many cultures. Although it may not be directly taught in history classes, these stories are

not debunked, and many cultures have people following them still believing this. It is very

important for children to learn that mental illness is common, and the misconceptions must be

stopped with younger generations before the turn into suffering adults. “New York mental health

experts recognized that earlier intervention could result in more positive outcomes for these

students” (Barile).

Another way that we can help bring these victims out of the dark is by providing

sufficient healthcare. “In 2014, 45% of the world's population lived in a country where there was

less than one psychiatrist to serve 100 000 people” (WHO). There is an alarming number of

people who wish to seek help, but either cannot afford it or cannot locate the help close enough

to home. Many healthcare providers do not cover therapy. Jenny Gold, a publisher for National

Public Radio, writes about the lack of mental health coverage in America nearly a decade since

Congress passed the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which promised to make

mental health treatment just as easy to get care for as any other condition. “In 2015, behavioral

care was four to six times more likely to be provided out-of-network than medical or surgical
care…The high proportion of out-of-network behavioral care means patients with mental health

or substance abuse problems were far more likely to face the high out-of-pocket costs that can

make treatment unaffordable, even for those with insurance” (Gold). This forces people to pay a

copay, which many cannot afford. Those who may need it most are the farthest off the spectrum

of those who can afford basic mental health-care due to the lack of coverage. Healthcare should

provide full coverage for therapy as well as prescriptions written by a psychiatrist to help treat

mental illnesses, because mental health is just as fundamental to overall well-being as physical

health.

It may be difficult for those who are not affected by a mental illness themselves to feel

motivated for this cause. But, when you realize that so many people you love and care about are

most likely suffering silently, danger sets in and you want the people you love to be safe and

tended to. This fear should extend to the whole population. We are all vicariously affected by the

mental health of the world and we should all be doing our part to end the stigmatized view of it.

It could be something as simple as a chemical imbalance in the brain, or as drastic as PTSD from

a traumatic event. No matter the situation, anyone who needs help should be able to get it with

ease, and everyone should be taught the necessary resources for self-care in school. The road to

recovery as a population can begin with children, but it cannot be successful until those who do

not suffer with a mental illness realize the toll it can take on themselves and everyone they love.
 Works Cited

“The Importance of Mental Health Awareness in Schools.” Hey Teach!, 24 Oct. 2018,

www.wgu.edu/heyteach/article/importance-mental-health-awareness-schools1810.html.

Farreras, Ingrid G. “History of Mental Illness.” Noba, nobaproject.com/modules/history-of-

mental-illness.

Gold, Jenny. “Health Insurers Are Still Skimping On Mental Health Coverage.” NPR, NPR, 30

Nov. 2017, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/11/29/567264925/health-insurers-

are-still-skimping-on-mental-health-coverage.

“History of Mental Illness.” Noba, nobaproject.com/modules/history-of-mental-

illness#vocabulary-somatogenesis.

“Mental Disorders Affect One in Four People.” World Health Organization, World Health

Organization, 29 July 2013, www.who.int/whr/2001/media_centre/press_release/en/.

“NAMI.” Home, www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/July-2018/Why-Asian-Americans-and-

Pacific-Islanders-Don-t-go.

“Psychiatrists and Nurses (per 100 000 Population).” World Health Organization, World Health

Organization, 13 May 2015,

www.who.int/gho/mental_health/human_resources/psychiatrists_nurses/en/.