By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall
We asked Mr. David Schick, media contact for the Lake County ADAMHS Board, the following question:
Are there any statistics that show the trend of mental health issues in Lake County? Male versus female, young versus old, drugs versus alcohol, family issues, etc.
Here is Mr. Schick’s reply:
Our data shows that males and females seek treatment at nearly equal rates (49.8% female). Across age groups, utilization is also fairly balanced: 27% of individuals are under 24, 33% are between 25 and 44, and 39% are over 45.
While more individuals enter our system for mental health services overall, alcohol remains the leading factor among those seeking substance use treatment. Mental illness is complex and influenced by a combination of biological factors, including genetics and brain chemistry, as well as environmental stressors such as trauma and life experiences.
Nationally, 1 in 5 adults experiences mental illness—comparable to rates of other chronic conditions like hypertension (47%), diabetes (12%), kidney disease (15%), and asthma (11%). The key difference is that stigma or shame still exists around seeking help for mental health, unlike these other conditions.
I appreciate your continued focus on this topic and hope you had a great holiday weekend.
We thought that the increasing drug usage would be the leading problem in Lake County, but ALCOHOL is still the number 1 cause of substance abuse in Lake County.
Lake County ADAMHS Board9237 Mentor Ave., Unit B
Mentor, OH 44060
If you’re in crisis or need immediate help:
Crisis Hotline – 440-953-8255
Call 9-1-1
Crisis Text Line – Text 4HOPE to 741741
Kim Fraser, Executive Director of the Lake County ADAMHS Board
Categories: ADAMHS Board, Community Activism, Lake County - General, Uncategorized