Mental Health Advocacy

Mental Illness

Simply saying the words “mental illness” in a room causes unpredictable reactions. Yet, it is far more widespread and common than most people think. Not only are mental illnesses blind to race, nationality, income and religion, but it can strike individuals at any time in their lives.

In the United States population, about 1 in 5 Americans experience some type of mental disorder each year. 
Source: National Institute of Mental Health, 1998

Mental illnesses are biologically-based brain disorders. Types of mental illness include (but are not limited to): schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, severe-anxiety disorders, eating disorders, manic depression, Tourette's syndrome, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, suicide and more.

During the month of October, Lutheran Congregations annually light a candle and say a prayer for persons with mental illness and their families.

All-Lutheran Candlelighting for Mental Illness is sponsored by the Lutheran Network on Mental Illness/Brain Disorders (LNMI), a joint effort of the ELCA and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

Below you will find five stories from
St. John’s families who share how
mental illness has impacted their lives and that of their families.

An insightful first hand story of psychosis through the eyes of Mr. Anonymous.

A sister’s perspective on what bipolar disorder means in a family.

A first person view of the onset of clinical depression.

A family member’s insight into postpartum psychosis and the pain beyond the illness as the mother enters the criminal justice system.

A family struggling with the illnesses of an adult child who suffers from bipolar and borderline personality disorders.

If you are interested in providing feedback to any of these stories, click below to go to the comments page.

• Mental Health Websites
• Additional Stories
• Additional Statistics
• Mental Health Parity

More Information on Mental Illness...

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
1.800.417.0417 or 515.254.0417

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

National Mental Health Association (NMHA)

Additional Stories…

A Lutheran Center sees Christ in the homeless…
http://www.thelutheran.org/9702/page38.html

Following in My Sister’s footsteps…
http://www.nmha.org/newsroom/first_person/sister.cfm

Additional Statistics…..

• Mental illness is more common than cancer, diabetes or heart disease.
  Source: Lt. Governor Sally Pederson, from a press conference on April 2, 2003: the Mental Health Insurance News Conference.
• In Iowa, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among persons between the ages of 15 and 24. Mental illness is the leading precipitant of all suicide.
• More than 19 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders.
  Source: NIMH, 1998
• 7 % of Americans each year suffer from clinical depression.
  Source NIMH, 1998