Mental health education should be a need for everyone.

Every person has mental health and each person needs to have some basic mental health education. Basic mental health education enables people to have an understanding of mental health and mental illness. People who have an understanding of mental health are likely to look after themselves and reduce the risk of developing mental illness.

Taking certain illegal drugs such as Cocaine and Cannabis increases the risk of developing mental illness. This is because these drugs alter brain function. Therefore, avoiding such drugs can reduce the risk. In addition, people can promote their mental health by making small changes such as having a good sleep, managing stress, exercising and relaxation.

Mental illness does not discriminate; it can affect anyone regardless of your age, gender, income, social status, race/ethnicity, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, background or other aspects of cultural identity.

Some mental health statistics

• According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in every 4 people will experience mental illness in their lifetime.
• In England, 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem such as anxiety and depression in any given week.
• Anti-depressant prescriptions have almost doubled, from 36 million in 2008 to 71 million in 2018 in UK.
• In UK, the total spend on mental health in 2017/18 was planned to be £11.9 billion, compared with £11.6 billion in 2016/17.
• In the UK, mental ill-health is responsible for 72 million working days lost and costs £34.9 billion each year.

Mental illness can have devastating effects on social and occupational functioning resulting in performance difficulties at work. Therefore, this will have a direct impact on families.  Basic mental health education enables people to develop increased confidence and knowledge of helping themselves and others.

Having an understanding of how mental health services work and how people can access services is very important. Mental health education should be everyone’s concern. Schools should have mental health education in their curriculum and it should be a  workplace mandatory training.

Check our Mental health awareness course on www.octracconsulting.co.uk.