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How has the perception of mental illness and health changed over the past decade?

According to a poll conducted by the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research (see the link below), more and more Americans report that they suffer from mental illness than ever before(as many as one in six). In addition, more Americans believe that mental health is a serious issue (67% of the people in a 2013 Pew poll stated that mental health was a serious issue). 


People also increasingly see depression as a situation that requires treatment rather than as a sign of weakness. For example, in the 1970s and even into the 1990s, about 57% of Americans said they saw depression as a sign of weakness; however, in recent polls, less than 20% of Americans endorsed this idea. Recent polls have also found that while there is still a stigma surrounding mental illness as a whole, there is a perception that the stigma surrounding depression has lessened in recent years.


Some of these changes might be traced to the development of anti-depressants, starting with Prozac in 1987, as Americans now increasingly see depression as a treatable condition. In addition, Americans increasingly recognize the importance of both mental and physical health, and people, including celebrities such as model Brooke Shields, have become more willing to speak about their own battles with mental illness (in Shield's case, her battle with postpartum depression) and their willingness to seek out both pharmacological and therapeutic help as well as the support of friends and family as part of their path to mental health. These accounts, as well as the portrayal of therapy in popular shows such as The Sopranos, have helped destigmatize therapy and help people get the help they need!

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