My
name is Vanessa Lopez. I was born in Chicago, Illinois, but I have lived in
Dallas, Texas, practically my entire life. I graduated from Townview’s
High School of Health Professions and got my Bachelor of Science degree in
Biology from the University of Texas at Arlington. This is my third
semester in the Health Studies graduate program (emphasis in Community Health),
and if all goes well, I’ll be done by Spring 2014.
I have known for a long
time that I wanted to work in the health field. Although it was not always
clear to me what exactly I would do, I found myself gravitating towards
research as I went through my college career. I am interested in studying
the physical, intellectual, emotional, and social
factors that influence health behavior.
In this blog I will discuss the importance of mental health. In the United
States, mental health issues are extremely common; estimates show that about
one in four people in the United States suffers from a diagnosable mental
disorder. This ratio is much greater when you consider that mental health
issues do not only affect the person suffering from an illness, but everyone
around them. Most mental health
illnesses are treatable, yet most people who need help do not receive
treatment. For the most part, the mental
health care system is broken and it is time we start fixing the system.
Hi Vanessa.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating topic and I am so glad you want to be an advocate for mental illness. Too many feel the topic is taboo-- and mental illness is much to common to be taboo. I have personally felt the effects of having a loved one struggle with mental illness and our health care system is not fully capable for helping, let alone ready to handle the rise in mental illness.
Looking forward to your posts!
Vanessa,
ReplyDeleteThe health topic of mental health is interesting. I found out how important mental health is from previous courses and my current job. It is shocking to know that, according to the CDC, by 2020 depression will be the second leading cause of disability throughout the world. This is definitely a health issue worth addressing. I look forward to your future posts!
Hi Vanessa,
ReplyDeleteMental health is such a relevant topic because it is a health concern that is far reaching and the impact is so incredibly significant. As I work with students who experience mental health concerns, I see how systemic mental health is. I look forward to reading your posts this semester!
Emily