More About Mental Health Problems

Mental health problems are very common. About one in four people in Scotland will have a mental health problem at some time in their lives. Although mental ill-health affects so many people, there is still a lot of confusion about what mental health problems are and how people recover.

If you stop and think, you are almost certain to know someone affected by mental ill-health. At least 1 in 10 young people have mental health problems. Around 1 in 4 adults will experience a mental health problem at some time in their lives. They all have family and friends. Mental ill-health is an issue closer to you than you may realise.

“mental health problem” is a complicated term

The term “mental health problem” (or mental ill-health) is used to describe to a wide range of symptoms and experiences. These are things like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, schizophrenia and manic depression.

People are not born with mental health problems. The problems can develop at any time and each person’s experience is individual to him or her. They can last anything from several weeks to a lifetime.

Mental health problems can have far reaching effects on a person’s life

People experiencing mental ill-health can have difficulties in the way they think, feel or behave. This can be confusing for them and can affect their relationships, their work or education, and their social life. Having a mental health problem can be difficult, not only for those people concerned, but also for their family and friends, and the people around them.

Lots of different factors can contribute to mental ill-health

Mental health problems may be triggered by a variety of situations including breakdown in a relationship, loss of family member or friend, bullying, abuse, divorce/separation of parents or pressures of a person’s current situation. Sometimes there is no trigger at all, and problems just happen. They can build up over time, so slow changes in a person’s behaviour may be hard to see, especially in young people, when it may appear to be normal adolescent behaviour or part of growing up.

It’s OK to feel confused about mental ill-health

When people first begin to experience difficulties they may be confused about what is happening. In some cases, people will deny that anything is wrong or hide it. They do this because they feel embarrassed, ashamed or scared of other people’s reactions. This fear of other people’s reactions may put some people off going for help. (For more information about stigma, click here).

Most people with mental health problems recover, and lead fulfilling lives

There is a lot of support available to help people recover from mental health problems – support groups, counselling, therapy, medication and treatment in hospital can all be successful. Different treatments work for different people. With the right support, the majority of people with mental health problems will recover. For more information about recovery click here.