To think mental health will hit crisis levels

[StylishMummy]

I can't help but think very soon we're going to have more people with poor mental health than those without. Every other person appears to have anxiety/depression/OCD etc, most of which are requiring treatment, medication and adaptations.

I've had PND so this is absolutely a non-judgey post, but I can't help but think at some point people are going to be so unwell mentally that half the population will cease to function, people just seem so much less resilient!

Services are 'cut to the bone' but there's unprecedented demand on mental health services, it's no wonder that waiting times are increasing exponentially. To properly fund EVERY person who needs treatment for mental health conditions, surely the country would be bankrupt?

Is there any way to reverse this mental health crisis?

this is a theological question and not an attack on those who struggle with mental illness. Also no political posts please!

Theology is the study of the nature of God and religious beliefs .

Of course it's not judgey to write 'people just seem so less resilient!'

You can also try to put constraints on how people post but they're still free to respond in a political fashion if they wish.

@dontalltalkatonce aren't you a charmer. I've been treated for severe PND so I'm not judging anyone. Can't anyone ask a hypothetical question?

I think that there are quite a few people (a minority) who label simple emotions as a mental health issue now.

Feeling down/anxious etc can be normal if you take the right actions to get yourself feeling better. Walks/mindfulness etc. It’s not normal for those feelings to persist when you do the ‘right’ things.

NHS help should be for those people who have no improvement when people do things to keep themselves mentally healthy. But like other areas of health people are very unwilling to take responsibility for their own health by doing things that are not convenient for them.

Overall though I think it’s a good thing that people are feeling more able to discus their feelings and mental health even if there is some misunderstanding.

Mental illness is not diagnosed fast enough. Some people are reluctant to seek help and when they eventually do so their mental health has deteriorated very badly. I sought help over and over, told I had depression and it's actually bpd. If I had been taken seriously and correctly diagnosed years ago I would not be how I am now. People are often not taken seriously. Life is so stressful nowadays and it takes its toll, people struggling on minimum wage and can barely eat let alone do anything that will benefit their mental health such as socialising. Being able to go out and see friends, go to the cinema, to the pub etc is important, people who don't have enough money to do these things become socially isolated sometimes and thus their mental health is impacted. I have known a lot of people through work and friends who this has affected. Personally if I don't get out and about my mental health begins to deteriorate. I'm lucky my fiance is extremely supportive and ensures that when he is off we go out and do things. I am not sure if I have put myself across very well and I apologise if not. There are many factors and reasons why mental illness is so prevelent and unless these are tackled then the problem is going to continue.

To properly fund EVERY person who needs treatment for mental health conditions, surely the country would be bankrupt?

But these people are not and unlikely to be 'funded'
Not sure what they are trying to achieve with your post really.
And yes you are being judgey with sweeping statements like people just seem so much less resilient!

This is far more complex than your post suggests.

*Not sure what you are trying to achieve with your post really.

It already is at crisis level. I've been in the system for years, and whilst care has always been far from perfect, it's now next to non existent.

An urgent appointment with my psychiatrist? Four months. Psychotherapy? Three years. Autism assessment? Two years.

Those times are for the people that qualify for help, most people won't get near a psychiatrist or care coordinator, and more people are refused stage 4 psychotherapy and autism assessment than are accepted.

It is political. It shouldn't be, but until the NHS is properly funded and mental health given parity it will continue to be so.

It already has, and I'm tired of the implication that I must be some kind of wimp because I'm mentally ill. I used to have that attitude and I ended up attempting suicide because I just couldn't bear it any longer. It runs in my family. My mum and grandad both had MH issues, mental illness is not a new thing and it's got nothing to do with how resilient you are.

I think life is getting more stressful in some ways which has an impact on MH and also that MH conditions are more widely recognised and reported now which skews the statistics. More funding and training is definitely required.

It runs in my family. My mum and grandad both had MH issues, mental illness is not a new thing and it's got nothing to do with how resilient you are.

I agree with this totally and am in the same position, having a MH condition which affects every member of my dad's side of the family. He has 4 siblings. We all take the same medication.

people just seem so much less resilient!

You’re not much of a scientist. People’s mental health is not the only variable here

Life is not what it used to be which contribute to more mental health issues.
Lost Connections by Johann Hari addresses some of the issues

I think there are many reasons for this: first, we are more knowledgeable about mental health now than in the past, and therefore more people seek help than they would have done 30 years ago; secondly, having poor mental health doesn't hold the stigma it used to - I remember being afraid to see my doctor about a very serious case of acute clinical depression in case it went 'on my record' and I might be discriminated against in future job applications; and thirdly, we don't spend enough time outdoors - 'forest bathing' might seem like some airy-fairy new age thing but it is actually good for us - it's just that nowadays we have to consciously go and do it, whereas years ago, it just happened as part of our day.

What PP said, life is very complicated nowadays, but at the same time kind of devoid of real meaning, so almost anyone probably has moments of existential crisis, but not everyone has good support, coping mechanisms etc

Lots of compounding factors wear us down mentally too - social media ‘perfect lives’, vacuous media and celebrities, working long hours, sedentary life, obesity, alcohol, drugs, money worries, self-esteem issues, less and less community spirit, less goodwill in society, less spirituality and more focus on the material...

I think that there are quite a few people (a minority) who label simple emotions as a mental health issue now.

Only a minority? No-one is ever totally pissed off anymore, it's now upgraded to anxiety. How many people are actually diagnosed with MH problems and how many are diagnosed by Dr Google?
I have total sympathy with those who have MH problems but so many seem to be on a bandwagon.
I wait with unbated breath!

The point of my post is to see if I can be a better parent to my DC by ensuring they have good mental health and how to do that. To see if there's a common denominator with those in poor mental health. Also, a general musing over how far we go into labelling every human emotion

If that is your reason for posting OP, the best advice I’ve heard is teach them to focus on others and be productive.

Navel gazing and too much focus on our own wants is not good for our MH.
‘Idle minds are the devil’s workshop’ and all that.

It's difficult because sometimes it's "trendy" to be unwell and then sometimes it's disguised so well in shame.
I will say MH services are incredibly underfunded. You hear the horror stories. Plus, as I've realised through work, a LOT of untrained, underpaid and inexperienced bank/temp staff just filling the gaps for bums on seats.
I self referred for therapy telling them I was on the brink of total mental collapse, I wanted to end my life. I wasn't even seen by a doctor or therapist. A member of the admin team "assessed me" with a score system, sent me away and said they would call. That was 7 weeks ago.

@fantasmasgoria1.. i think you have put it perfectly actually.

I’m going to say this , then duck.

I have noticed a huge surge in people saying ( particularly on MN , of late) that they have anxiety and/or MH issues. I’m not sure if it’s because people feel more able to express how they are feeling, or is it because people just don’t want to face life’s tricky issues that many of us face and feel that anxiety is a catch-all phrase as an avoidance
The word ‘resilience’ does spring to mind.

I am now running to my shed, with no wi-fi!)

06StylishMummy - I don't think you can "prevent" any future psychological or physical illness your DC may encounter during their lives.
All you really can do, is teach them to look after themselves.
Exercise, good diet, me time, ... you can talk about illnesses in the family, how it affects the people around them , how to spot the signs, how to get help or even how to come without help. Parents and grandparents can be a great source of vital information!

As for your original post, I firmly believe, that a small percentage of people is "over diagnosed" , meaning, yes they are having a rough time, getting up/ out/ feeling depressed and anxious. But it's a stage in their live for whatever reason and does not need any deep routed treatment. But for one reason and an other, they are in the system, waiting for appointments.

@dontalltalkatonce I gather the OP meant to write philosophical question, however there is no need for you to be rude.

OP, yes, it is a worry but I really don't have any answers. I feel that the world is turning into a really scary and cold place, with a lot of selfishness and hatefulness. I always thought as time goes on, the world would be more enlightened. But that doesn't seem to be happening, in fact we seem to be going backwards. I really don't know what the answer is.

I think shit life syndrome is a big issue, I mean how can you stop people feeling shit when things are shit?

Also loneliness can be harder to solve than people think. It's not enough to be around people, you need the right people and if you can't find those people then nothing gets better.