Dear Future President,

I, and many others in the same situation, believe that there should be more subjects talked about in the big election discussion. The subject of mental health is almost never brought up in conversation, unless it’s to blame for dangerous or destructive behavior. Things need to change so people suffering from mental illnesses don’t feel outcasted or abnormal.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health problems on college campuses. “Forty million U.S. adults suffer from an anxiety disorder, and 75 percent of them experience their first episode of anxiety by age 22.” Anxiety and depression are a few of the most common mental illnesses in America, yet they are never discussed openly. Because of the lack of discussion, people who suffer from less common mental health disorders, such as Dissociative Identity Disorder, feel it is harder to reach out and get help. The stigma surrounding mental illness is a big reason behind this.

In a survey I carried out, I asked a total of 15 people what they thought of when they heard these words related to mental health: mental illness, anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. When asked about the last option, schizophrenia, most people expressed that they knew little to nothing about the condition, and there seemed to be a lack of understanding surrounding the topic of mental health all together by those who don’t have these disorders.

If health insurance covers visits to the doctor’s for a physical injury, why wouldn’t they cover the visit to a doctor for a mental injury? I believe that if we put more effort into understanding these topics that seem too complicated, or that don’t involve us, we can open the discussion of mental health. We can talk about the price of medication, the cost of therapy, and the cost of living with a mental illness. We need discussion, and we need acceptance.

Sincerely, Hailey