Most people in Los Angeles and elsewhere know that mental health conditions affect a large segment of the population. They also know that whether these individuals are young or old, they face financial challenges that are often alleviated by social security income.
Here is a look at some of the numbers related to the frequency of mental health conditions in the world and in California.
Mental health worldwide
The World Health Organization breaks down the numbers of mental health conditions by individual disorders. In general, disorders of the mind involve a combination of abnormal thoughts, emotions, perceptions, behavior and relationships with others. Depression is one of the most common disorders and it affects about 264 million people globally.
Bipolar disorder affects approximately 45 million individuals worldwide. This disorder results in people swinging back and forth between high moods and low moods. Schizophrenia affects about 20 million people globally. As a severe mental disorder, it might include episodes of hallucinations and delusions and can make it difficult for those with the disorder to participate in society.
Mental health in California
According to the California Health Care Foundation, about one in six adults experience some symptoms of mental health disorders. About 4% have a disorder that makes it difficult to cope with ordinary events. Children also experience mental health challenges, with about one in 13 experiencing an emotional disturbance that limits activity.
The prevalence of mental health disorders by region of California did not vary greatly for both children and adults. One area of discrepancy in prevalence involved incomes. Children from lower income families experienced a significantly higher frequency of serious emotional disturbance.
