Attempting to showcase the invisible aspects of mental illness through the anonymous stories of students from Grand Valley State University
THE RESEARCH
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)...
SUICIDE
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 10-34 (NAMI)
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46% of individuals who die by suicide had a diagnosed mental health condition (NAMI)
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90% of individuals who die by suicide had experienced symptoms of a mental health condition (NAMI)
MENTAL ILLNESS
1 in 5 adults deal with a mental illness, 1 in 25 adults deal with a serious mental illness (NAMI)
DISEASE
Individuals with mental illness have an increased risk of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes or even cancer (NAMI)
DEPRESSION
Globally, depression is the leading cause of disability (NAMI)
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​In 2017, 17.3 million individuals 18 years and older (7.1% of all American adults) experienced at least 1 major depressive episode within the last year (NIMH)
GENDER
Females represented a higher percentage of major depressive episodes (8.7%) than males (5.3%) in 2017 (NIMH)
COLLEGE STUDENTS
30% of college students report having a level of stress that negatively impacts their performance academically (ADAA)
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In 2017, adults aged 18-25 years represented the highest prevalence of major depressive episodes in the United States at 13.1% (NIMH)