October 10th 2023
‘Mental Health is a universal human right’: World Mental Health Day 2023
Today marks World Mental Health Day where people and organisations unite across the globe to raise awareness for a topic that still destroys too many people’s lives.
According to the most recent mental health statistics, 21% of adults are experiencing at least one mental illness. One of the reasons for this is the dreaded cost-of-living crisis. As prices continue to inflate, people are going without food, have lost their jobs and in worst case scenarios, their homes.
Today’s annual event designed to help increase recognition for mental health is needed now more than ever and here’s why:
New research from a survey of 1070 small business owners by Simply Business, uncovered that half of small business owners have experienced poor mental health within the last 12 months – a 124% increase compared with the national average.
One example of this is Serena Fordham, founder of community interest company ProspHER, who has detailed the tragic affects running a small business can have in today’s climate.
Serena said: ‘Being self-employed does require an ability to work without barriers or parameters. As a result, the quality of your personal life is directly linked to the success of your business, and the wellbeing of your employees and customers feels fully on your shoulders. Though you might have the passion, an extraordinary amount of effort is required to get things off the ground and keep things going, which can really take its toll.’
In a bid to try and turn things around, Sarah Merringotn, programme manager at Mental Health at Work said: ‘Results from our survey in partnership with Simply Business shine a light on how crucial it is that we act, right now, to support these groups. The results expose a mental health crisis, with over half of respondents struggling with poor mental health in the last year, many experiencing insomnia, working long hours, and very rarely taking breaks – it’s a recipe for burnout.
‘Simply Business and Mental Health at Work are working together to make a real difference in addressing this issue. Together, we’re providing accessible, bespoke support for small business owners and the self-employed, to enable them to make positive changes to their mental health. This World Mental Health Day, and every day, it’s important that small business owners and the self-employed can access support – whenever they need it.’
On a similar topic, new research has also found more than half of Generation Z (Gen Z) have taken time off work due to ill mental health. In addition, 33% have also claimed they would never apply for a job that doesn’t prioritise sustainability.
Force of Nature, a youth non-profit organisation now reveals that over 70% of young people feel hopeless due to the climate crisis and 56% believe humanity is doomed, while just 26% feel that they know how to contribute to solving the problem. This comes as staff absenteeism due to poor mental health is at record-level highs, with 56% of Gen Z stating they needed to take time off due to stress, anxiety and depression according to Unmind.
In the British Medical Journal, university researchers advise that one of the best routes to alleviating rising levels of climate anxiety is to increase optimism and hope by improving awareness.
Giving employees access to the most reliable information on climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as practical information on actions they can take, can help significantly to alleviate anxiety. Self-motivated research through trustworthy news sources is a powerful counterbalance against feelings of dread and hopelessness.
However, steering away from mental health problems that can arise in the workplace, harrowing new research has found people with a disability have been denied of mental health support altogether.
Experts from Brain in Hand, a digital innovation healthcare company, discovered 70% of autistic people in the UK haven’t been offered professional support.
Brain in Hand’s survey of 575 respondents revealed mental health has worsened for 58%, and anxiety has increased for 62% over the past 12 months. As a result, 43% have felt isolated over the past year, and more alarmingly, 26% have also had thoughts of self-harm.
In addition, the research found more people experienced a decline in mental health and increased anxiety if they were waiting for an assessment versus those who had received a diagnosis. Whilst a diagnosis in itself could help a person to better understand individual challenges, it is essential that people are offered support post diagnosis.
When looking at age and gender, older people were also less likely to be offered support, with 79% of 55s and over not being offered any help. With many autistic females misdiagnosed, a significant 75% of women also found themselves without support.
‘The current system in place is appalling and mental health is suffering as a result. The government must do more to make sure support is delivered to the community who need it so desperately,’ said Victoria Ellen, autistic influencer, and author of The Autism Diagnosis Workbook. ‘It’s only through word of mouth that I was fortunate enough to discover digital support, which has gone on to help me better manage my day-to-day life. This simply wouldn’t have been possible using the resources I was offered by healthcare professionals.’
Images: Micheile Henderson, Emily Whitehouse and Total Shape
World Mental Health Day: The climate crisis is destroying young people’s wellbeing