Resources

You are not alone.

Because of the stigma it is not easy to get an accurate number of people that deal with mental health issues.

In general it is about 1 in 5 people (or 20%) of the U.S. population is effected by their mental health at some point in their lifetime. This number has varied from as high as 1 in 4 adult Americans to as low as 1 in 8 people worldwide.

Regardless of the actual numbers, there are others in the world, the nation, and probably even your neighborhood who also deal with mental health issues.

Johns Hopkins Medicine (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/)

World Health Organization (WHO - https://www.who.int/)

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH - https://www.nimh.nih.gov/)

Support Systems

National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI - https://www.nami.org/) is a support system for those living with mental health disorders and their loved ones, including both family and friends. It is aimed at promoting education and support, to help people self advocate and make informed decisions. They offer both education and support groups to both the ‘patient’ and the loved ones.

NAMI AZ - https://namiarizona.org/

There are also local break outs of AZ’s NAMI, generally by either county or region.

Many people I have worked with over the years have found NAMI helpful, this includes my patients and their loved ones.

DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) https://www.dbsalliance.org/

This is a peer run support resource for those dealing with, you guessed it, depression and bipolar. It offers multiple types of support groups, including for family members. They offer both in person and virtual groups, depending on the area. They also help with resources and wellness tools.

There are national and local chapters.

They report: “DBSA chapters offer peer-run support groups across the nation where you will find comfort and direction in a confidential and supportive setting, and where you can make a difference in the lives of others.”

Some of the AZ chapters utilize Facebook