Evidence suggests that persons with severe mental disorders are more likely to have a shorter life. For example, the data mentioned by Roberts et al. (2017, p. 441) suggests that “the life expectancy of people with severe mental disorders is decreased by 10 to 25 years.” This endangered population group includes individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression, which are relatively frequent diseases (Roberts et al., 2017). Thus, mentally ill people constitute a part of the population and suffer from issues connected to their syndromes leading to an earlier death.
Certain circumstances accompanying the mental disorders contribute to the decreased life expectancy of the ill. First of all, suicidal thoughts and intentions are common for persons with disorders. Secondly, medications for the treatment of mental problems can provoke life-threatening physical illnesses such as cardiovascular disease. Thirdly, the inability of a person to fit into society and guarantee a stable profit for life sustenance results in poverty. Then, starvation and poor conditions, as well as harsh behavior of the general population, cause premature death (Roberts et al., 2017). Therefore, individuals with mental disorders are more likely to commit suicide, suffer adverse effects of medications, and experience complicated interactions with the environment.
However, the procedures developed after studying mental illnesses and their treatments may help the deceased ones. The programs of recovery allow their patients to recognize their disorders. Next, they offer medications and recommend adequate amounts of them. Although some persons, such as a girl from the course material, have not considered the drugs necessary, later they realized that it helps them (SW Classes, 2016). Finally, practitioners provide guides for coping with the harmful effects of diseases and strategies for partial recovery. In brief, evidence-based therapy can improve the lives of mentally ill people by counseling them and granting medical care.
Reference
Roberts, L. W., Louie, A. K., Guerrero, A. P. S., Balon, R., Beresin, E. V., Brenner, A., & Coverdale, J. (2017). Premature mortality among people with mental illness: Advocacy in academic psychiatry.Academic Psychiatry, 41(4), 441–446.
SW Classes. (2016). Illness management and recovery – DVD [Video]. YouTube.