Mental Illness Survey Asks Novel Questions

Even though World Mental Health Day and Mental Illness Awareness Week 2018 is behind us, it doesn’t mean that efforts to encourage more people to seek treatment come to an end. Observances do much good in the way of raising awareness, but the quest for developing more effective evidence-based therapies of addiction and other forms of mental illness is a must.

As we pointed out earlier this month, 1 in 5 Americans lives with mental illness, and at least 20.2 million adults in the U.S. are living with a substance use disorder. The creation of new, more effective therapies rightly hinges on extensive research. Study after study informs the latest advancements in a field that can only be described as complex, dealing with conditions that are both frustrating and deadly.

While scientists are usually responsible for dictating the terms of surveys and peer-reviewed studies, calling for participation from those dealing with mental health conditions, a new project is asking for such people’s advice in guiding future research.

What Should Mental Health Research Focus On?

The Milken Institute and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance created a new survey that asks an original question to people living with mental illness, STAT News reports. Thus far, more than 5,600 people have submitted answers to the query:

“What questions about your health and experience with depression or bipolar disorder would you most like research to help you answer?” 

One of the project managers, Cara Altimus, an associate director at the Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy, says that the responses are vital to guiding research and medication development, according to the article. The researchers presented their preliminary findings at the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit in Washington, this week.

“The entire field is moving toward listening to people and finding out what they want,” said Dr. Ken Duckworth, the medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “Designing research studies, we should involve the patients quite directly.”

A final report on the survey could be available sometime early next year.

 

Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment

Celebrate Hope can help any adult that is struggling with addiction or co-occurring mental illness. Please reach out to us to learn more about our programs. Celebrate Hope is a faith-based addiction recovery track at Hope By The Sea.

Saturday, October 27, 2018, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Americans are invited to dispose of their unused and unwanted prescription drugs at any one the DEA collection sites during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.