Most mental health conditions start to develop early in a person’s lifetime. Half of adult mental health conditions begin before age 14, and three-quarter of mental health conditions begin before age 24. Getting help for a mental illness is often delayed. In the U.S. the average duration of delay in treatment from onset of symptoms for mood disorders is 4 years and for anxiety disorders it is 23 years. If left untreated, many mental health conditions can worsen and lead to increased impairment in daily activities and functioning.

Stigma and barriers to treatment are often the causes for these delays. Results from the latest annual NSDUH survey of mental health findings show reasons why people with mental illnesses did not seek care. Below are the top 10 reasons from that survey (click here to see all responses).

* Based on the percent of adults with any mental illness that did not receive mental health treatment in the past year (2011). From the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Findings, NSDUH Series H-45, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 12-4725. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2012.

Getting help for a mental illness can be difficult.  For those who are initially seeking mental health care for the first time, our website addresses some of these barriers. Get Help. Get Well, provides some information on who to contact first and what to expect at your first appointment. Talking with a trusted friend, family member, or someone else that you feel you could confide with can provide that needed support as well. Contact an MHAM advocate to ask questions you may have pertaining to seeking mental health care treatment.