Mental illnesses aren’t pretty; in fact, they can be pretty scary. Currently, in the United States, there are over 40 million people suffering from a mental illness, meaning it affects more people than the most common illnesses, like cancer or heart disease. Of course, those 40 million only represent the cases that are actually diagnosed and treated. Some people may be unaware that they have an illness, or they may be unable or afraid to get the help they need.

In the past, people with illnesses were seen as demons, crazy, or failures, but luckily we’ve come a long way since then! There’s still work to be done, though. People who suffer today are still viewed negatively and assigned stereotypes by others, which only adds stress and pressure to the individual’s mentality.

Most of these issues surrounding mental illness can be solved simply by expanding education. Once people are educated about mental illnesses, they are finally able to empathize and understand them in their true natural form. Here are the top five reasons why we should expand mental illness education:

1. People don't get the help they need

When there is no discussion around the topic of mental illness, there is also ambiguity about what these illnesses look like and how common they are. This causes people to either not know that they have a mental illness, or it causes them to feel estranged and isolated. Not getting help is detrimental because over time their situations worsen, and the individual may eventually act out in a way that gets them in trouble with the law. Really, not getting help leads to an array of other problems that can result in the worst of outcomes.

2. Drug abuse

Untreated illnesses also lead to drug abuse, which intensifies and worsens conditions even more. Expanding education will encourage people to get genuine help rather than using drugs or alcohol.

3. Abusive relationships

Untreated mental illnesses can also lead to abusive relationships, both emotionally and physically. Many people don’t know that having a relationship with someone who is mentally ill significantly increases their own chances of developing an illness, and instead they may invest in that individual in hopes of helping them. By educating teenagers and adolescents about the realities of mental illnesses, we can also combat issues like abuse.

4. People are wrongly judged

Many people view mental illness as a flaw or something to be ashamed of when in reality it is completely natural and inevitable. More education would result in a more empathetic and accepting society for those who do suffer.

Let’s be honest, life is not a piece of cake, and there's definitely no set of instructions! In fact, life can be very complex and emotional, so it's no surprise that people may have difficulty getting by with a breeze. Because of the harsh judgment, people are more likely to not get help because they feel ashamed, and instead, their conditions go untreated and intensify. Negative judgement can also make people want to isolate themselves and suppress their true individuality. No matter what any individual is combating, nobody deserves to feel that way. It is time that we stop all stop pitying and judging others who we see as having “problems,” and instead we acknowledge that we are all human and just trying to get by.

5. Suicide

Worst of all, untreated mental illnesses can be attributed to about 90% of suicides worldwide. By expanding education, we could be saving almost 2,000 people a day.

If you do want to become more knowledgeable of the different types of mental illnesses, just go to www.metalhealth.gov It's very useful!