Study: Oklahoma No. 2 in prevalence of mental illness

EDMOND Oklahoma ranks second nationally in the number of adults with a mental illness, according to the findings of a new study.

The study, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, defined a serious mental illness as any mental, behavioral or emotional disorder that causes substantial functional impairment such as significantly interfering with or limiting one or more major life activities. Examples might include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or clinical depression.

SAMHSA defines any mental illness as the presence of any mental, behavioral or emotional disorder in the past year that meets specific diagnostic criteria.

The study ranked Oklahoma second in the number of persons in both categories.

From both a public and private perspective, finding help for a mental health issue is rapidly turning into a crisis situation, said Oklahoma Mental Health Commissioner Terry White, a product of Edmond Public Schools.

White said more than 600,000 Oklahomans are directly impacted by mental illness. White said these individuals are parents, loved ones, friends, neighbors, co-workers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, clergy just about anyone from any profession or socioeconomic level.

Officials are feeling the impact of this increasing need for services in the public system as well as the private system, White said. With scarce resources more people are going without services at the exact time that more people need them, White said.

If not treated early, a mental illness may progress, resulting in negative consequences such as divorce, family fragmentation, child neglect or abuse, unemployment or reduced work productivity, more students dropping out of school, homelessness, crime and incarceration, accidental or premature death and homicide or suicide, White said.

Its creating a perfect storm with no letup in sight, White said.

People become more seriously ill when they are unable to access services early in the disease process, White said. The good news is mental illness can be treated and success rates are very high, White said.

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Study: Oklahoma No. 2 in prevalence of mental illness