How Common Are Mental Health Issues?

 

There is a significant amount of stigma associated with mental health issues and for many the words ‘mental health’ conjures up images of serious mental illness and psychiatric care.

 

Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression are very common and mental health issues are highly prevalent in society. You maybe surprised by these statistics from the World Health Organisation:

 

• 30% of the adult population suffer with a recognised mental health issue in any one year.
• Depression is the 4th biggest, costliest and debilitating health issue in the world and by 2020 will be the 2nd.
• In any one week 10% of the adult population experiences clinical depression and one in five people will suffer with this at some stage in their lifetime.
• One in four adults will experience drug or alcohol addiction.
• One in two adults will seriously consider taking their life.
• One in ten will attempt to end their life.
• Over half of people with a mental health issue either do not know they have a problem or do not seek help for it.

 

In Australia:

 

• There are more than 2,000 suicides per year, 6 per day and men are four times more likely than women to take their life.
• Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 44 years.
• Indigenous people are four times more likely to take their life than non-indigenous.
• More people die from suicide than from deaths on the road or skin cancer.

 

The FIFO lifestyle can add additional pressure and stress for people already struggling with issues in their lives. It can turn the volume up. Finding ways to deal with challenges, build resilience, learn from each other and those who make the FIFO lifestyle work well is vital. Mental health challenges are a normal and understandable response to life events. Lets make it OK to talk about them, look out for each other and get help.