According to some studies, more than 300 thousand people lose their jobs in the UK every year due to their long-term mental health issues. Furthermore, two in three adults admit that they have experienced some mental health problems such as depression, stress or anxiety.
A study launched by the Mental Health Foundation revealed young people are more likely to be affected, along with women and people who live on a lower income (less than £1200 per month). They are more likely to have experienced a mental health issue at some point in their lives.
The statistics below show how mental health issues impact most of our life in the UK.
 The Impact of Common Mental Health Issues
- There are 1 in 4 people who experience mental health problems each year.
- Mental illness is the most significant cause of burden of disease in the UK, especially among young people.
- 1 in 6 working-age adults has mental health symptoms.
- Mental illness is more common, long-lasting and impactful than other health conditions in the UK.
- According to research, mental illness is responsible for 72 million working days lost and costs around £35 billion each year.
- People with long term mental health condition lose their jobs every year, this equates to 300,000 people, this double the rate of those who without a mental health condition. This figure is the equivalent of the population of Newcastle.
- 75% of mental illness starts before the age of 18.
- Around 70% of people with a diagnosable mental illness have no treatment at all.
Impact of Mental Health Issues in Young People
- The economic costs of mental health issues in England are estimated at £105 billion each year.
- Half of the mental health problems start at the age of 15, and 75% of them develop by the age of 18.
- 8% of young people age 5-19 meet clinical criteria for a mental health disorder.
- About 20% of young people with mental health issues wait more than six months to receive treatment care from a specialist.
- About 10% of young people aged 8-15 experience a weak sense of wellbeing; with the older age group having poorer wellbeing than the younger age group.
Mental health issues in the workplace
- About 1 in 6 workers will experience depression, anxiety or problems relating to stress at any one time.
- 1 in 5 people takes a day off due to stress. 90% of these people gave their employer a different reason for their absence.
- It costs businesses £1300 per employee whose mental health needs are unsupported.
- 15% of employees who disclosed mental health issues to their line manager reported being disciplined, dismissed or demoted.
- 84% of UK line managers believe they are responsible for employees’ wellbeing, but only 24% have received training. 49% of line managers reported a need for basic training in common mental health conditions.
  Statistics source July 2019 – MHFA England
As we can see from the results show above, a high level of people in the UK, especially women and young people, are suffering from some forms of mental health problems. According to mentalhealth.org.uk, women are more likely than men to have a common mental health issue and are also almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders.
But many people may not know that mental health counselling is useful for a wide range of mental health issues. Counselling services can be accessed through the NHS, privately or through some charities.
Benefits of Counselling
There are many advantages to having counselling to support your mental health wellbeing. Mental health has often been an unmentionable subject for a long time, but now people are beginning to talk about it more. However, counselling is not just for mental health issues; it’s also beneficial for psychological difficulties such as family issues, unforeseen life events, behavioural troubles and couple relationship problems. During the counselling session, you will be able to talk to a trained and experienced counsellor who will be supportive and listen to you without judgement. The counsellor will guide you through your mental health barriers so that you can feel better and obtains a better quality of life.
Below are some benefits of having a counselling. These include, but are not limited to:
- Learn to gain control of your emotions
- Feel less alone with your problems
- Find it more comfortable to cope with everyday life
- Improve your physical wellbeing
- Improve communication and interpersonal skills
- Increase confidence and decision-making skills
- Feel more relief from stress, depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions
- Improve the ability to manage stress
- Be more understanding and have better communication in your relationships
- And many other benefits for having counselling
Get in touch with a professional counsellor if you feel you’d benefit from talking about your problems. We hope you find this post helpful. If you have any questions on counselling, please get in touch on 01733 639 040 or send me a message via our online contact form.
