Why is funding so low for mental illness? And why does no one seem to care?

[selfdestructivelady]

Obviously those suffering care and their families. But considering something like 50% of people have depression at some point in their life you would think there would be more provision. Is it because the mentally ill and their families are struggling to much to fight?

I think a lot of it is because MH sufferers are rather more invisible than physically sick people, and those suffering are often still too embarrassed or ashamed to see the doctor early on.

And I think there may be a perception that MH sufferers are more likely to have inflicted it on themselves, as so often the problems are inextricably mixed up with addiction problems. So by the time the sufferer comes to the attention of the medical professionals, maybe due to self-harm or to being arrested, they may have been self-medicating on drugs to make themselves feel better so much that they are addicts. And addiction services seem to get even less money than MH.

My dbro initially drank because he was depressed and (in my opinion) suffering from PTSD , but by the time he agreed he needed help he was a full blown alcoholic. The causes of his depression were still there, but MH services refused to treat him until he was dry. But he couldn't get dry as the nightmares from the sexual abuse he suffered at boarding school were still under his skin. So a vicious circle.