It’s time to talk

Source: https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/category/blog/talking-about-mental-health

 

Mental Illness Statistics and Facts

• 1 in 4 people experience mental health issues each year
• 676 million people are affected by mental health issues worldwide
• Mental illness is the largest single source of burden of disease in the UK. Mental illnesses are more common, long-lasting and impactful than other health conditions
• 70-75% of people with diagnosable mental illness receive no treatment at all
• Over a third of the public think people with a mental health issue are likely to be violent but people with severe mental illness are more likely to be the victims, rather than the perpetrators, of violent crime
• About 20% of young people with mental ill health wait more than six months to receive care from a specialist
• Between 4% and 15% of people meet the diagnostic criteria for personality disorder
Source: https://mhfaengland.org/mhfa-centre/research-and-evaluation/mental-health-statistics/

• Borderline personality disorder – 2.4 in 100 people
• Reports from both England [2] and Wales [3] suggest that approximately 1 in 8 adults with a mental health problem are currently receiving treatment. Medication is reported as the most common type of treatment for a mental health problem
Source: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/statistics-and-facts-about-mental-health/key-facts-and-trends/

• There is a strong social stigma attached to mental ill health, and people with mental health problems can experience discrimination in all aspects of their lives.
• Many people’s problems are made worse by the stigma and discrimination they experience – from society, but also from families, friends and employers.
• Nearly nine out of ten people with mental health problems say that stigma and discrimination have a negative effect on their lives.
• Society in general has stereotyped views about mental illness and how it affects people. Many people believe that people with mental ill health are violent and dangerous, when in fact they are more at risk of being attacked or harming themselves than harming other people.
• The situation is exacerbated by the media. Media reports often link mental illness with violence, or portray people with mental health problems as dangerous, criminal, evil, or very disabled and unable to live normal, fulfilled lives.
• This is far from the case.
• Research shows that the best way to challenge these stereotypes is through firsthand contact with people with experience of mental health problems. A number of national and local campaigns are trying to change public attitudes to mental illness. These include the national voluntary sector campaign Time to Change.
• The Equality Act 2010 makes it illegal to discriminate directly or indirectly against people with mental health problems in public services and functions, access to premises, work, education, associations and transport.
Source: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/stigma-and-discrimination
Source: https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/category/blog/talking-about-mental-health

• We all have a brain. If it was called brain health, would have the same stigma and discrimination? What if mental health was visible and left a unique mark to each person? Would people be kinder or still presume to know what’s going on inside?
• Imagine you’ve broken your leg, then you would go to see a doctor. They give you a leaflet and put you down on a six months’ waiting list. You wait six months to then be told it might be two years before you’re seen. You’d agree that it is unacceptable. But when it comes to mental health, this is often the process we have to follow.
Source: https://www.ukyouth.org/2018/05/14/stop-mental-health-stigma-and-discrimination/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwPyyzdqw5wIVzLTtCh1xLgEwEAAYAiAAEgIHBfD_BwE

So many people suffer from mental illness, yet because of stigma and misinformation, there are still so many afraid to come forward with their problems and start up a conversation. I want my art to open up a dialogue to those it reaches, talking is such an important first step to getting over/ living with mental illness and its still such a difficult topic. I want more people to come forward with their own experiences, if we normalise mental illness more, and educate people about them- it would be a less scary subject.