Many Americans are actively reaching out for help with their mental health but not getting the help that they need.

A survey was recorded and showed that many people with mood disorders are not able to afford any effective form of treatment. Many did not even know where they should try to look for mental health treatment.

Psychiatrist Ken Duckworth, NAMI’s chief medical officer, said, “Forty-eight percent are unsure if they’re eligible to receive care, and nearly as many are unsure about how to access services.”

Time has shown that many people who desperately need mental health care are currently unemployed or have a limited income. Even those who have certain forms of insurance still have trouble getting mental health care. Sometimes it is not covered, or it is very restrictive and complicated to get. There are also not a lot of options when it comes to finding a therapist since many are not in-network.

Sika Yeboah-Sampong, a staff attorney at the advocacy group Legal Action Center, said, “One reason that the lists are narrow, it’s that historically reimbursement rates for mental health providers have been much lower than for physical health providers.”

Out of the survey, 70% of people found that when they did get mental health care they found it helpful. However, many have to ration out their mental health care due to limiting insurance policies or limited funds.

This study highlights how mental health care could prove to be very beneficial for a large percentage of Americans, if they were only able to better access it for the time that they needed.

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