Why Do People Go Untreated?

Not getting treatment can also affect the community that the person lives in. It could mean increased child abuse, sexual assault, and or domestic violence. Self-medicating with drugs and alcohol often leads to the listed abuses. “Lots of time and money and resources are spent in the community reacting to not treating a mental health issue proactively” (Umpleby and Burks). Untreated mental illness cost about $100 billion per year in lost productivity (Bimpong). Going untreated can also have negative effects on your body. Untreated illnesses have intensified symptoms and more intense treatment is needed. Pain can also start because of tense muscles and headaches. The stress of not getting treatment can cause chronic stress. That can lead to heart attacks, obesity, and strokes (Young).
When people are not treated there are increased chances of suicide and substance abuse. Having a mental disorder and an addiction to a drug increases the negative effects of both things. For those people who go untreated, their chances of going to prison are much higher (American Addiction Centers). Half of mass shootings are done by people with mental issues and 10% of homicides are committed a mentally ill person. “And before James Holmes dressed up as the Joker and shot 70 people in a movie theater,
One of the main causes of why they go untreated is the stigma surrounding it. That is something that an average person can work on, opening their mind. Our goal should be to prevent and treat mental illnesses. The effects of an untreated mental illness are not only for the person suffering from the illness, but it affects all the people and community surrounding them. The organizations that are helping this issue need funding, and that is something that a normal person can help with as well. Although not everyone can help in the same way, everyone can play a part in solving this