It's easy to think that mental health issues don't concern us,
but in fact a quarter of us will have problems with our mental
wellbeing at some time in our lives.
Mental health problems are equally
common in men and women, but the types of problems differ. Women
are more than twice as likely to be affected by depression, while
men suffer more from substance abuse (80% of those dependent on
alcohol are men). Men are also more prone to suicide: British men
are three times more likely than British women to die as a result
of suicide.
Serious mental health problems are also more common than you
might think. Between one and two people in 100 has a severe mental
health condition such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
All these figures are based on people who have sought help for
their mental health problems. Many more could be living with
undiagnosed mental health issues, according to mental health
charity MIND.
If you're worried about your mental health, or if someone in
your life is affected, there are plenty of ways to get help.
You can also contact mental health charities such as Sane
and the Mental
Health Foundation.
Please note: the information on this page has
been taken from
NHS Choices website where you can find more information related
to Mental Health.