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25% of people suffer from mental health problems over their life time.

What does this actually mean?
Does this include people who experience mild and transitory problems that are probably related to life circumstances?
Or, does this just include people who have clinically diagnosable conditions?
How accurately do GPs make diagnosises such as anxiety and depression? It must be difficult to explore the context of someones distress in 15 minutes.
Is mental illness just been used as another word for distress.

It just seems like a very very grim static.
I have mental health problems that are on the more severe end of the spectrum, it's just a bit of nasty idea that 25% will do to.
In my experience, GPs are very good at differentiating between distress and anxiety and depression.

The fact that other people have mental health problems in no way belittles your own issues.
Original post by Anonymous
The fact that other people have mental health problems in no way belittles your own issues.

That's not what I mean.
It's difficult to accept that 25% of the population will experience mental mental suffering. So many people.
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by glassalice
That's not what I mean.
It's difficult to accept that 25% of the population would experience mental suffering.

Why? It is very common. I am surprised the figure isn't higher.
Original post by Anonymous
Why? It is very common. I am surprised the figure isn't higher.

Because it is unpleasant to say the least. Why are you surprised that it isn't higher?
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by glassalice
Because it is unpleasant to say the least. Why are you surprised it isn't higher?

Because so many people I know have mental health issues.
Original post by Anonymous
Because so many people I know have mental health issues.

Like long term illnesses?
Original post by glassalice
Like long term illnesses?

yes
Original post by Anonymous
yes

Why would that happen to so many people. It is horrible.

Spoiler

Original post by glassalice
That's not what I mean.
It's difficult to accept that 25% of the population will experience mental mental suffering. So many people.

I dont know where that particular figure comes from, but there has been a regular large scale survey of the English populaion for many years, called the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS). It uses well validated assessment questionnaires. The findings are that at any one moment, 1 adult in six has a diagnosable mental health disorder. Since some of these will recover in time and others will "replace" them, a figure of 1 in 4 of all adults finding themselves in this group at some point in their life seems very plausible.

"Most mental disorders were more common in people living alone, in poor physical health, and not employed. Claimants of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), a benefit aimed at those unable to work due to poor health or disability, experienced particularly high rates of all the disorders assessed."

The latest report is huge, but here's the link if you're interested. https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20180328130852tf_/http://content.digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB21748/apms-2014-full-rpt.pdf/
Original post by glassalice
What does this actually mean?
Does this include people who experience mild and transitory problems that are probably related to life circumstances?
Or, does this just include people who have clinically diagnosable conditions?
How accurately do GPs make diagnosises such as anxiety and depression? It must be difficult to explore the context of someones distress in 15 minutes.
Is mental illness just been used as another word for distress.

It just seems like a very very grim static.
I have mental health problems that are on the more severe end of the spectrum, it's just a bit of nasty idea that 25% will do to.

Gosh these are some great questions! I am doing my PhD in Clinical psych area so let me try and answer some of your questions:

1) It refers to diagnosable conditions, not transient states (which is mental health too but not part of the 1 in 4 statistic) though this is hard to measure given only some seek help so the stats aren't exactly brilliant, though probably a good estimate
2) in regards to GPs, they use standard measures (such as PHQ-9 the depression scale) which they use to make diagnosis - a few problems here: they only have 10 minutes, they are people with varying understanding and interpretation of mental health issues and the scales don't really capture the essence of what its like to have a mental health issue and the complexity it brings, whatever the diagnosis
3) often GPs will refer you to other services such as IAPT or counselling who would over may 4-5 sessions or more discuss the context of the mental health problems as you mention, rather than discuss these (to a larger extent) in the 10 min consultation
4) very interesting question about dress vs. mental illness and it's still not been deiced really how we define such terms. Do people with mania have distress? not a lot of the time. Do they have a mental illness? Yes. It's kind of agreed that harmful dysfunction is how we define mental illness, though this is still a bit of a fluffy catchall term
5) and it is a bit grim but most people will improve (be that altogether or symptom free for a while or most symptoms go) and there is help

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