A recent study by the National Institute of Mental Health says that about 2. 4 percent of the world population has bipolar disorder. (The National Institute of Mental Health web sitereports that an older study showsthat in America, the number of adults with bipolar disorderis closer to 2.6 percent (5.7 million people).



This new study shows that the disorderis undertreated in poor countries. In fact, only 25.2 percent of people with bipolar disorder are being treated.



This doesn come as a surprise. The NIMH statistics from previous studies show that in America, around 50 percent of people ugg boots outlet are receiving adequate treatment (the number varies depending on the type of treatment).



Since the study focuses on poorer countries,is easy to jump in and say, get somefunds to these people so they can get treatment! think that this is reductionist thinking.



The possible reasons are many. Sometimes, especially in poorer countries, care is simply not available. Sometimes, people aren correctly diagnosed. Insome cases people with bipolar disorder are dually diagnosed and have other problems such as anxiety or addiction that contribute to symptoms, ugg boots outlet location which means that professionals might have a hard time differentiating the causes.



(FYI: A person needs to be off substances for 68 months in order to distinguish whether or not the symptoms are drug/alcohol induced or whether it is an underlying major mental illness).



In other cases, people with the disorder have sought treatment and unfortunately stopped their treatment because it felt much better to be Also, men from some segments of American culture and other cultures around the world, perceive that it is better to feel bad than to seek professional help, and that it simply isn to seek help.



Unfortunately, these and other factors mean that people here and around the world will continue to refuse care unless educated about the disorder (and other major mental illnesses),and the treatments available. And this education must be culturally sensitive.



Bipolar disorder is certainly not the only mental health problem that is undertreated. But because there are treatments, usually a combination of medicationand counselingthat can help stabilize patients, it is very sad that more peopleare unable to access treatment.