Mental health is a level of psychological well-being or an absence of mental illness. It is the psychological state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioural adjustment.
In other words mental health is the successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people and providing the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity.
According to a study in 2015, one in four people in the UK experience a mental health problem in any given year. Mental health problems are one of the main causes of the burden of disease worldwide. In the UK, they are responsible for the largest burden of disease – 28% of the burden, compared to 16% each for cancer and heart disease.
Mixed anxiety & depression is the most common mental disorder in Britain, with 7.8% of people meeting criteria for diagnosis. Common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are distributed according to a gradient of economic disadvantage across society.
The poorer and more disadvantaged are disproportionately affected by common mental health problems and their adverse consequences. Also one adult in six had a common mental disorder.
A research among children and young people has revealed that 20% of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year and 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24. 10% of children and young people (aged 5-16 years) have a clinically diagnosable mental problem, yet 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.
Mental health problems affect both men and women, but not in equal measure. In England, women are more likely than men to have a common mental health problem and are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders.
In 2013, 6,233 suicides were recorded in the UK for people aged 15 and older. Of these, 78% were male and 22% were female. 10% of mothers and 6% of fathers in the UK have mental health problems at any given time and one in five (19.1%) women had CMD symptoms, compared with one in eight men (12.2%).
Many studies showed that most people with mental illnesses get better and many recover completely. With support, between 70 and 90 percent of individuals have a significant reduction of symptoms, an improved quality of life and find a satisfying measure of achievement and independence.
Today psycho-social and pharmacological treatments for individuals even with serious mental illness are highly effective. Effective treatment for people with mental illness varies depending on the individual.
Below are some general instructions you will find useful for mental illness:
- The most basic thing that people fail to understand is the fact that mental illness is hereditary. If a specific condition of mental disorder exists in your family lineage, chances of being infected by the same disorder are also very high. Being aware of such disorders will help you to seek elementally education on preventive measures as well as to seek a psychologist who can advise you accordingly.
- A better way of preventing mental illness is taking control of stressful moments in your life. Such events like death, divorce or violence can take a toll on your medical condition. If you know the warning signs of mental illness, it’s possible to take precautions and prevent mental disorder from affecting your mental health. When you see such signs of mental disorder present in your life, seek medical help from a mental physiologist or counsellor.
- Try to be relaxed and lead a stress free life as well as managing your emotional distress. You can also learn about strategies that help you remain mentally fit from your medical counsellor such as deep breathing, keeping a diary and meditation strategies.
- Take good care of yourself. Sufficient sleep, healthy eating and regular physical activity are important. Try to maintain a regular schedule. Talk to your health care provider if you have trouble sleeping or if you have questions about diet and physical activity.
- Get help when you need it. Mental health conditions can be harder to treat if you wait until symptoms get bad. Long-term maintenance treatment also may help prevent a relapse of symptoms.
- Don’t neglect checkups or skip visits to your health care provider, especially if you aren’t feeling well. You may have a new health problem that needs to be treated or you may be experiencing side effects of medication.
Like mental health, financial problem is also a subject that a lot of us hesitate to talk about, even with close family and friends. This is a severe problem because financial health and mental health have great impact on each other.
A study based on the experiences of nearly 5,500 people who have lived with mental health problems – 86% of the respondents said their financial situation had made their mental health problems worse and 72% of respondents said their mental health problems had made their financial situation worse.
In 2010, research from the Royal College of Psychiatrists found that half of adults with debts have a mental health problem and that one in four people with a mental health problem are also in debt.
For many years mental health charities have worked hard to improve the support available for people with mental health problems who are managing financial difficulty. Still a huge amount of people is left without help and getting caught up in the damaging cycle of mental illness and debt.
If debt is affecting you, we can help. Email our debt team.
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