Many people underestimate the impact that mental health conditions can have on individuals, their families, and society as a whole. In the UK, mental illness accounts for a third of all illnesses and, at any given time, one person in six experiences anxiety or depression.
In England, mental health conditions cost approximately £105 billion a year, due to loss of earnings and associated treatment and welfare costs. The cost to an individual with a mental health illness can also be high because left untreated, such conditions can result in unemployment, homelessness, the break-up of families, and suicide.
Why it is necessary
Due to the continuing stigma that some people have about mental health conditions, many individuals are reluctant to talk about any mental health problems they may have had. It is therefore easy to underestimate how widespread these types of conditions are in England.
It is estimated that 1 in 4 people will experience at least one mental health condition at some point in their life. This means that mental health conditions affect more people than the combined total of people who are affected by:
While mental health conditions are not usually life-threatening, left untreated, they can lead to activities and behaviours that are physically harmful and, in some cases, life-threatening. For example:
Although suicide rates have fallen by 20% since 1998, suicide remains one of the leading causes of death in young people and adults who are under 45 years of age. For example, in England, in 2007, there were 4,011 suicides, and over half of these were in people under 45.
Common adult mental health conditions
The most common mental health conditions to affect adults in England are:
- mixed anxiety depressive disorder - a condition where a person experiences the symptoms of depression and anxiety; it is estimated to affect 1 in 10 adults in any given year,
- generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) – a condition where a person experience persistent and severe feelings of anxiety; is estimated to affect 1 in 20 adults each year,
- episodes of moderate to severe depression - which is estimated to affect 1 in 40 adults a year,
phobias - an extreme, or irrational, fear, such as a fear of heights, or animals; phobias are estimated to affect 1 in 40 adults a year,
- obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) – a condition where a person experiences obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours; is estimated to affect 1 in 75 adults a year, and
- panic disorders (also known as panic attacks) - which are estimated to affect 1 in 80 adults a year.
Complex adult mental health conditions
Complex adult mental health conditions are generally less common than the mental health conditions that are mentioned above, but they can have a greater impact on the quality of a person’s life and can be more challenging to treat.
Complex mental health conditions include:
Personality disorders are a range of conditions that affect a person’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviour. Most people with personality disorders find it difficult to deal with other people.
Other uses of mental health services
There are a range of other conditions that while not strictly mental health conditions, can often benefit from the input of mental health services. These include:
Mental health in children and young people
As well as adults requiring mental health services, as many children and young people also experience mental health problems.
It is estimated that 1 in every 10 children and young people who are between 5-16 years of age are diagnosed with a mental health condition.
Mental health conditions that are known to affect children and young people include:
