STEPS

What do people know about mental health?

Surveys from across the world have shown that most of us do not know all that much about what mental health problems are, what causes them or what can be done to tackle them. The more you know your enemy the more in control you will be. This is one reason why this website has been set-up.

What people know about mental health is an important issue. It is called mental health literacy. This is defined as

The aim of this web-site is to help increase knowledge about mental health and provide skills to allow people to fight back against their mental health problems. This may help people to feel more in control of their lives.

This information comes from surveys in different countries where people were asked what they thought about various mental health problems.

The main findings

• Two thirds of those questioned in Ireland have relatively positive views about those who have depression. They are not held to be weak-willed, mentally ill or just feeling sorry for themselves.
• This contrasts to Australia where 50% felt depression was caused by a weakness of character
• 73% believed that depression could be successfully treated. Only 17% of people in Ireland mentioned their GP as someone who could help.

In Britain, half of those questioned had personal experience of depression:

• 22% had suffered or still suffered from it
• 32% had a close relative who suffered from it
• 13% had a friend who suffered from it
• 100% of those questioned thought it was caused by bad things happening to you, e.g. a death in the family, being out of a job, a relationship breaking-up
• 33% thought it is could be caused by biological changes in the brain
• 66% felt that post-natal problems, the menopause and the menstrual cycle could cause depression in women
• the majority said that they would be too embarrassed to tell their GP they felt depressed in case the GP thought they were unbalanced or neurotic. This was particularly true of men.
• 32% said that their main source of information about mental health was the media - TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and the internet.
• There was a strong link between social class and attitudes towards mental health and those who suffer from it. Stigma rises as you go down the social scale. This was particularly true of men.

Treatment views

• 46% felt that anti-depressants were effective.
• 78% believed that anti-depressants were addictive.
• 85% believed that counselling was effective.
• In general, people have a negative view of medical treatments for depression. They have positive views of lifestyle treatments such as exercise, vitamins, minerals and special diets.
• In general, people do not think psychologists and psychiatrists have much to offer for depression. GPs are rated more highly.
• There was a strong link between level of education and positive views towards anti-depressants and psychological treatment. So the more education you have, the more you belief these approaches have something to offer.
• Self-help is generally rated as the most helpful approach, e.g. seeking help form the family, taking up new activities, engaging in pleasurable activities, using self-help books or support groups.

Why this information is important

• If people do not believe in anti-depressants, they will be less likely to try them.
• If your GP has given you anti-depressants but you do not believe in them then you are less likely to stay on them.
• If people do not rate psychologists highly, they are less likely to accept psychological treatment. Yet cognitive behavioural therapy (practised by most psychologists) seems to be the best approach for many people who are depressed.
• There is no evidence for the use of minerals, vitamins or special diets for depression
• If people are too embarrassed to go to their doctor, they can't access NHS treatments. The GP is the main gatekeeper to other services. They may get worse the longer they go without treatment.
• There is a clear link between social deprivation and mental health problems so if there is greater stigma about these problems in socially deprived areas then people living there are less likely to seek help.
• Information about mental health in the media is often inaccurate or sensationalist so people may not be getting access to good information.
• If self-help is highly regarded (and there is good evidence for it), mental health professionals should help people get access to this