Having a mental illness has always had a stigma around it. While we should be cognizant of those with mental health issues, World Mental Health Day, October 10, is dedicated to raising awareness and the continuous efforts in support of mental health.

Let’s talk a bit about what is going on in the United States within this realm. According to the CDC as well as the National Health Interview Survey (2019-2021), the percentage of adults aged 18 to 44 that received any sort of mental health treatment increased from 18.5% (2019) to 23.2% (2021). That’s a significant increase of 4.7% in only 12 months. Maybe this increase stems from living during a multi-year pandemic or people are becoming more self-aware.

Whatever the cause may be, it’s startling, to say the least. It starts with awareness, but ultimately, the healthcare system has repeatedly misunderstood those with mental illnesses and often fallen short in providing proper care. The cost of seeing a therapist and/or psychiatrist can be astronomical, especially without health insurance. If you want to try an alternative method for treatment-resistant depression, such as Ketamine therapy, you’re going to have to pay out of pocket as many insurances do not cover these new types of treatments. 

Globally speaking, Our World in Data circa 2018 stated that 970 million people have a mental health or substance abuse disorder. A study by Lancet Psychiatry, published in 2013, estimates the total cost of treatment for depression and anxiety disorders across 36 countries to be $147 billion by 2030. At this point in 2022, just nine years after the study was published, it wouldn’t be too farfetched to assume that number is only going to keep rising.

Sadly, 93% of students are aware of on-campus mental health services, but only 13% actually use these services (American Psychological Association, 2018).

If you are currently a CCD student, you are in luck! Community College of Denver’s Auraria campus has a counseling center located in the Tivoli Student Union that offers a variety of services, including stress management, grief support, self-care support, anxiety support, and crisis support. Every student is entitled to up to eight sessions throughout each academic year!

To schedule an appointment, students can call 303-352-6436 or register with a counselor for teletherapy sessions by clicking here. In addition to the Counseling Center, CCD now offers teletherapy for our students. CCD has partnered with BetterMynd to offer our students access to private online therapy sessions from their diverse network of licensed mental health counselors. To register and get started with a counselor that’s a good fit for you, sign-up here. If you have any questions about these services, you can also email BetterMynd at students@bettermynd.com.

All employees of the State of Colorado are eligible for six counseling sessions per rolling calendar year. CSEAP also offers coaching, webinars, and mediation services. https://cseap.colorado.gov/support-for-all-employees