I wonder if ,through a little more awareness, parents, primary care doctors and school counselors are better able to recognize mental illness today. I had some depression before my first breakdown, and recognized it because it ran in the family. However, identifying something complicated like bipolar took me years. Of course professionals should be trained in recognizing mental illness. In fact, it would be helpful for them to have a good knowledge of the varying symptoms of different kinds of mental illnesses. I say this because even once one goes to a professional, it is so easy to have the wrong diagnosis for years that it would be better for the professionals to be able to assess and channel the patient in the right direction from the beginning. When my mother, with experience of depression (and, LOL here, a degree in psychology)came on the scene from out of town to help me after my first breakdown, I had one session with a psychologist (my mistake for not pursuing the issue, but I thought I had the family depression and anxiety) who called it an anxiety disorder. It was years before I had a proper diagnosis which I finally did myself.
Obviously all these “first responders” should be trained in more than a rudimentary knowledge of mental illness. For example, it is so dangerous to give bipolars only antidepressants (which primary doctors are allowed to prescribe)without a stabilizer that considerable damage can be done with a misdiagnosis. And these 15 minute intervals that many insurance allow pdocs these days are ridiculously inadequate. Wish I was younger. I have checked the time it would take me to retrain as a psychologist and it would be a few years and thousands of dollars to complete all the requirements.