Richard J. Codey once said, "For too long, we have swept the problems of mental illness under the rug...and hoped they would go away." » Many of us know one or more people who suffer from some type of mental illness. In the United States alone, one in four adults, or approximately 61.5 million people, experiences a mental illness in a given year. – National Institute of Mental Health. Some of these illnesses include depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Clinical depression is the most common form of mental illness and is also the leading cause of disability in the United States among those 15 years and older. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, “it affects 40 million adults in the United States ages 18 and older.” This represents approximately 18% of the world's population. Unlike normal sadness, clinical depression is longer term and interferes with your daily life. This can take many forms and severities. This can be caused by several different factors, including a mix between your genetics, where you live, the way your mind processes things, and even your past. It affects a person's mood, thinking, sleep, appetite, and behavior. This often degrades people's self-image and leaves them feeling alone and worthless. Some symptoms of depression include irritability, loss of interest in activities or hobbies you once enjoyed, suicidal thoughts, change in appearance, and loss of energy. Women are 70% more likely than men to experience depression during their lifetime. They believe this is due to hormones and the fact that women are more likely to seek help and men are more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol. Thirty percent of all clinically depressed patients attempt suicide. There are over 38,000 people committing suicide... in the middle of a newspaper or a school and think of how many people are suffering. Mental illnesses are not always easy to detect in yourself or others and these illnesses affect millions of lives every day. Works Cited Anxiety and Depression Association of America Facts and Statistics, http://www.adaa.org/about-adaa/pressroom/facts-statistiquesAlliance DBS. Bipolar: bipolar lifestyles. July 23, 2012, at http://www.Statisticbrain.com/bipolar-disorder-statisticsNational Institute of Mental Health. Statistics: any disorder in adults. March 5, 2013, at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1ANYDIS_ADULT.shtmlNational Institute of Mental Health. Numbers Matter: Mental Disorders in America. March 5, 2013, at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america/index.shtml