Many people live with the distressing symptoms of mental ill-health for long periods without accessing mental health advice or treatment, according to the finding of a 2008 survey of patients who attended St Patrick’s Hospital.
The survey showed that 62 per cent of patients had lived with their symptoms for at least a year before seeking help.
The survey also showed that 45 per cent of service users were unlikely to discuss their mental illness with friends — and this figure increased to 57 per cent when asked about work colleagues.
Paul Gilligan, CEO of St Patrick’s, speaking at the publication of their Annual Report today (August 10), stated that there are still many obstacles preventing those who suffer from mental health problems from accessing appropriate care and treatment.
Many people with mental health difficulties still feel afraid, embarrassed or ashamed about those difficulties, he said.
The main reasons why people would not discuss these issues with others were stigma (19 per cent), a lack of understanding (18 per cent) and embarrassment (10 per cent).
Peoples’ reactions to diagnosis of mental illness were overwhelmingly negative; over half of those surveyed (54 per cent) said that they felt afraid when diagnosed, 37 per cent felt ashamed and 29 per cent were embarrassed by their illness.
St Patrick’s launched a number of new services during 2008, including Services for Adolescents, Community Mental Health Clinics (The Dean Clinics), Addiction Services, Multi-disciplinary Assessment and technology-based Services.
Four Dean Clinics opened in Dublin. They provide multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment services for people experiencing mental illness, who can be best supported and helped within their own community.
The Adolescent services are provided through a community-based clinic and a new purpose designed in-patient unit at St Patrick’s.
The technology-based services include a Support and Information telephone service and a web-based service. The Support and Information line, staffed by qualified mental health nurses, has been in full operation for approximately six months and provides mental health information and support to the public, GPs and other healthcare professionals.
About Greg Baxter
Loading ...
Fear, embarrassment and shame still linked to mental illness
Indeed they are, right there in your headline.
–The main reasons why people would not discuss these issues with others were (belief in) stigma (19 per cent) and 81 percent would!
, a lack of understanding (18 per cent) and 82 percent would!
and embarrassment (10 per cent). and 90 percent would!
Those are pretty high positive percentages, I’d say we are making very good progress.
Harold A. Maio
khmaio@earthlink.net
Harold, in 1989 I did a MA thesis on Stereotypes of the “Mentally Ill” )Words chosen by persons who had suffered)
I found the stereotypes awful, no one wanted lots of people to know of their illness,they felt they were not taken seriously after such an illness, and frankly I think if I ran that research again I would get the same results. Ignorance fear and lethargic minds do not help people when this suffering in on them and after it.
Regards
M.Dalton
I have seen a great improvement on both how mental illnesses are reported, accuracy is considerably high, and how positively the public is responding to that accuracy.
I check online every day for “the” mentally ill, the caricature in words, it is declining. People are beginning to understand that we are not defined by illness, we achieve beyond it, some of us at the highest degree.
As the caricature loses power, in words, in print, it loses power in minds.
Harold A. Maio