Mental health is an issue for everyone

A generation ago it was a subject that was rarely spoken of, but mental health has become a hot topic of the past 15 years or so.

A study by the Priory group suggests that a quarter of adults in England will suffer a mental health problem each year, a figure that will no doubt come as a surprise to many who will wonder why the figure has grown.

This has in part become down to education. Whereas in the past people were encouraged to put on a brave face and keep their troubles to themselves, the younger generation has grown up in an environment where they are positively encouraged to talk about their anxieties. 

On the whole, this has to be a good thing. Spotting the symptoms at an early stage can often prevent these problems from escalating. In most cases, the problems will be small and relatively easy to manage, but left untreated they can develop into something more serious.

Yet while attitudes may have changed, mental health services still endure something of a Cinderella existence in the context of the National Health Service. Out of the NHS's overall budget of £189 billion, about £12 billion is actually spent on mental health services. Former prime minister David Cameron once said that his aim was for mental health to be given exactly the same priority as physical health, but these figures suggest there is still a long way to go to achieve that aim.

For those who argue that addressing this would not be a valuable use of resources, it is worth bearing in mind that mental health problems are estimated to cost the British economy £300 billion a year. So devoting a little more attention to mental health concerns could well pay for itself in the long run.

Gone are the days of the stiff upper lip, when talking about mental health problems was a source of stigma. But it is one thing recognising that the problem exists, and another taking the steps to address it. 

Mental health problems are society's problems. And it is in all our interests that they are taken seriously.