What is mental health ?
Mental health is described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as
“... a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”
In this positive sense, mental health is the foundation for well-being and effective functioning for an individual and for a community.
What are mental health difficulties?
People may encounter a range of mental health difficulties, from the psychological distress experienced by many people, to serious mental disorders and illnesses. Mental illness refers to specific conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
International studies show that one in four people in Ireland will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives - and at any one point in time, one in ten. That means that 1 million people living in Ireland may be affected.
- 25% of people in Ireland will experience a mental health difficulty at some point in their lives
- 25% of families have at least one member with a mental health difficulty
- 20-25% of total health-related disability falls in the domain of mental ill health
- Mental health difficulties can affect anyone
People who experience mental health difficulties are more likely to end up socially and economically disadvantaged, to rely on state benefits, and have difficulty gaining adequate supported housing and employment.
The majority of people with mental health difficulties access the healthcare system through primary care, i.e. their GPs. GPs, therefore, provide the majority of mental healthcare, referring only between 5 and 10% to mental health services. GPs surveyed in Ireland reported that 25% of their patients had mental health or psychological problems, with anxiety disorder, depression and emotional difficulties being the top three presenting conditions.