Friendship and mental health survey findings

To mark Mental Health Action Week 2007 we surveyed over 500 people across the UK. We looked at the experiences of both people with mental health problems and those of people who have supported friends during a period of mental illness.

We found that almost 80 per cent of people know at least 2 friends who have experienced mental distress. But many do not want to admit their own mental health problems for fear of what their friends might think.

Find out more about the results below:

A two-way street

This explores the issues of social exclusion and the importance of friendship and social support for people experiencing mental health problems. It also provides a summary of findings from the survey.

Download - [150 KB] Keeping us going - Summary of findings

To view the summary of findings, you may need a free download of Adobe Acrobat.

Survey findings from different parts of the UK

We sought responses from all parts of the UK. We were then able to see the differences in attitudes regarding friendship and mental health according to where people live.

Read the findings

More about the Friendship and Mental Health Campaign