MARTINE DANIEL

Statistics tell us that one in every four people will experience some kind of mental illness in their lifetime. It might be depression, mania, psychosis, anxiety and panic attacks - but whatever the "variety" of mental illness, the impact is often tremendous - affecting not just the person, but their family and their friends, too.

It can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. It could happen to you, or someone you love. Sadly, there is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health issues, meaning that whilst physical disabilities can be openly discussed, many people feel the need to hide their mental health difficulties because of the negative attitudes that abound about mental illness. This means that often people don't seek out the help that they are entitled to, out of a sense of shame. There should be no shame in admitting mental health difficulties.

The media is often guilty of portraying mental illness in a negative light - implying that people with schizophrenia are dangerous, or that mental illness puts a stop to the chance of people leading normal lives.

The Time to Change campaign is currently striving to debunk some of the myths that surround mental health issues, to raise awareness of the prevalence of mental illness, and to break the stigma that means many people struggle to cope with mental distress alone.

Having experienced episodes of mania and depression myself, I wrote my first published novel, "The Fire in Your Eyes" in an attempt to attack the ignorance that lies at the heart of negative attitudes towards mental health. A story of a young woman's struggle with undiagnosed Bipolar Disorder, I hope that "The Fire in Your Eyes" will give readers a better understanding of what it can be like to experience mental health difficulties. 

Bipolar Disorder (manic depression) is just one of the many mental illnesses that cause distress to people. "The Fire in Your Eyes" is the first in a series of books that I hope will help to eliminate the ignorance about, and the stigma around, mental health issues.

News on the Time to Change Website (http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/news/attitudes-towards-mental-health-heading-tipping-point) indicates that attitudes towards mental health are finally beginning to change. After fifteen years of deterioration, figures show that some changes are actually afoot.

In 1994, 71% of surveyed people agreed that mental illness is an illness like any other. New figures from the Department of Health show that 77% of people now agree with this statement. There have been similar increases on other key questions, such as people with mental health difficulties having the same right to a job as anyone else. Furthermore, there has been a 4% increase (from 57% in 2008 to 61%) in agreement that people with mental illness are less dangerous than often supposed.

It’s not all good news, though. 11% of people would rather not live next door to people with mental health problems, a 3% increase from 1994. And attitudes amongst young people, aged between 16-34 are significantly more prejudiced towards mental illness than in people aged over 55. Only 52% of 16-34 year-olds agree that people with mental illness are less dangerous than often supposed.

It’s great that attitudes are beginning to change, but the figures for 16-34 year-olds seem to indicate that there is a definite need to target this age group in anti-stigma campaigns. As I’ve said before, I think it’s important to begin to tackle the stigma of mental illness early, in schools, before these youngsters have begun to adopt negative attitudes towards mental illness. Negative attitudes are born out of ignorance – and the best weapon we have against stigma is education. Schools need to take the initiative in educating the impressionable youth on the truth about mental illness instead of allowing them to be influenced by the often negative portrayal of mental health issues in the media.

The Time to Change campaign has already begun to have an impact. Let’s hope that the changes keep on happening. It might not be such a utopian dream to imagine that one day stigma might be stamped out once and for all.

According to the latest information on Rethink's website (www.rethink.org) the government have recently launched a blueprint for mental health, code-named New Horizons. The blueprint "sets an ambitious benchmark for standards" but Rethink warns that the standards will not be met unless resources are "diverted accordingly".

If successfully implemented, the 10-year plan could revolutionise services and attitudes towards people with mental health problems - but in order for the plan to succeed, cash must be made available so that the changes can be enforced. The government pledge is that, by 2020, mental health support will be available to "everyone who needs it, and that stigma towards people with mental health problems will have dramatically declined".

Director of Rethink's public affairs has said: "This is a valuable opportunity to set a vision for mental health that could deliver real improvements to people?s lives. We particularly welcome the focus on early intervention, personalised services, and recovery. However, this aspirational strategy will be pie in the sky unless it is backed up by adequate resources and dedicated political leadership.

"Stigma and discrimination remain the biggest barriers to the economy over the next ten years. We need the government to commit to long-term funding of initiatives such as Time to Change to transform public attitudes. At present we are a long way from achieving the 2020 aim of a society where people accept that mental health problems can affect anyone at any time."

According to their website, Rethink is pleased to see the government's expectation that by 2020:

• mental health services should be available to all who need them
• stigma will be significantly reduced
• people with mental health problems will no longer be at greater risk of poor physical health
• those who are unable to work will be able to take part in meaningful activities
• physical and mental health will be seen as equal priorities

Furthermore, Rethink is pleased to announce that several Rethink initiatives, listed below, are highlighted as examples of good practice within the New Horizons document:

• a) U-think: a training programme for young people aged 14-25 who are at risk of developing psychosis.
• b) Education not Discrimination (END): training sessions for medical students and trainee teachers to raise awareness of mental health issues and challenge prejudice.
• c) Time to Change: a three-year campaign to change people?s attitudes and behaviour towards people with mental health problems.

It is good to see that the government are making an effort to focus on the often-neglected area of mental health. What remains to be seen, however, is how successful the blueprint will be - or even if it will ultimately be implemented at all. It is hoped that the "New Horizons" blueprint is not just another piece of political propaganda designed to lure voters into backing the government in next year's general election.

[All quotes from: http://www.rethink.org/how_we_can_help/news_and_media/press_releases/ambitious_10year_me.html