DP - Mental Health Statistics

For the past week, I have been looking into mental health statistics and although I do believe that I know a lot about mental health due to having mental illnesses myself, I have learnt so much more by researching more on this topic.

I have discovered that:

* 1 in 4 people will experience a mental illness in any one year!

* Around 75% of all severe mental illness starts before the age of 24

* By the age of 21, just over half of young people will have experienced a diagnosable psychiatric disorder

* 70% of young people who experience mental illness do not receive the appropriate support

* Women aged 16-24 in Scotland have significantly lower levels of mental wellbeing compared to other age groups

* 50% of students experienced negative attitudes when talking to peers about mental health

* 6 in 10 students have witnessed a fellow student with mental health issues being discriminated

These statistics are shocking and something needs to be done to help people struggling with mental health issues and to stop the stigma that still surrounds mental health.

During the next week, I aim to carry out a couple of surveys with Inverness College UHI students and other people in the UK.