MENTAL ILLNESS IN CANADA
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In terms of the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of health, health denotes the physical, mental, psychological and social normalcy of an individual and not just the absence of disease (NIMH, 2004). From the definition that has been given, it is clear that, there is more to health than the physical attributes. Mental health is important just like physical health because no individual is considered healthy if their mental health is deranged even if they are normal physically. The mental aspect of an individual coordinates other body systems, and for this reason, every human being needs to be mentally fit. Mental illnesses have been around for centuries, and they continue affecting every citizen in Canada, just like in various parts of the world. There is growing interest by researchers on issues of mental health and how these have impacted on society. As it is an important health topic, researchers have done extensive research and now, there is diverse knowledge on health illnesses in Canada. This paper analyzes mental illnesses in the Canada by dwelling on the history of mental illnesses, statistics of mental illnesses and impact of mental illnesses on Canadian population and government as a whole in terms of managing the condition.
Statistics
Mental disorders are common conditions internationally, and this is the same in Canada. Estimates reveal that 26.2 million Canadians over 18 years suffer from Schizophrenia mental illnesses. In any particular year, 1 in 4 adults are diagnosed with a Schizophrenia mental condition. The problem is so major that currently, mental disorders are a top disability cause in Canada for ages between 16 and 44. These are very alarming statistics. Even though the figures are high, the burden of illness affects a small proportion of the population, that is, a population of about 6%