HOUSTON (Houston Chronicle) - In a recent survey conducted by the National Mental Health Association, the following mistaken beliefs were reported about the causes of mental illness:

• 71 percent thought mental illness was caused by emotional weakness.
• 65 percent believed mental illness was caused by bad parenting.
• 35 percent felt mental illness was caused by sinful or immoral behavior.
• 43 percent thought people bring on their mental illness in some way.

"The reality is that mental illnesses are linked to brain chemistry, heredity, stress, and abuse of legal and illegal drugs," said Betsy Schwartz, executive director of the Mental Health Association of Greater Houston.

"Mental illness is a brain disorder," she said. "It is as real as cancer, heart disease and diabetes, and it is highly treatable with therapy and medication."

The facts are:

• More than 54 million Americans (or one in five) suffer from a mental disorder in any given year.
• About 8 million (16 percent) will seek treatment, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
• Approximately 15 percent of all adults who have a mental disorder in any given year also experience a concurrent substance abuse problem that complicates treatment.
• 1 percent of the population - more than 2.5 million Americans - has schizophrenia.
• The two most common mental illnesses are depression and anxiety disorders, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
• The World Health Organization predicts that by the year 2020, depression will be the second greatest cause of premature death and disability worldwide.
• Depression ranks among the top three workplace problems, following only family crisis and stress.
• Some 30,000 Americans commit suicide each year, and 500,000 more attempt suicide. Ninety percent of suicide victims have a mental illness, according to the Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network.

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