Here are the findings from different parts of the UK:
New research shows people in the East Midlands fear opening up to friends about mental health. But friendships can be vital when coping with mental illness.
People in the East Midlands worry about what friends will think…
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The majority of people who did not want friends to know about their mental health problem said it because they were ashamed (62 per cent), did not think their friend would understand (62 per cent) and did not wish to be labelled (54 per cent)
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Over half (57 per cent) chose to talk to a family member or doctor about their mental health problem before turning to friends
Yet friends can help provide support…
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61 per cent of people with mental health problem said that when their friends did find out, they were concerned
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Less than half offered support (43 per cent)
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Over half of the people surveyed said that when they found out about their friend’s mental health problem the friendship was not put under strain (57 per cent)
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7 out of 10 people said that it helps to have friends around when experiencing a mental illness (71 per cent)
But sometimes, friends need support too…
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43 per cent of those in the East Midlands said they did not know enough about mental health to offer help
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3 in 4 admitted to feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to their friend’s mental health problem (74 per cent).
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New research shows people in the East of England fear opening up to friends about mental health. But friendships can be vital when coping with mental illness
People living in the East worry about what friends think…
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Many of the respondents who did not want friends to know about their mental health problem said it was because they were ashamed (45 per cent), did not want to appear weak (55 per cent) and that talking about their problems made them too upset (45 per cent)
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Over half chose to confide in a doctor or family member about their mental health problem, before turning to friends (57 per cent)
Yet friends can help provide support…
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Reassuringly, people with mental health problems reported that when friends did find out about their mental illness, the many expressed concern (57 percent) but only a third offered support (30 per cent)
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60 per cent of those with experience of mental ill health believe that in times of mental distress, it helps to have friends around
But sometimes, friends need support too…
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Half of those surveyed said that they know enough about mental health to be able to provide support to their friends (57 per cent)
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Yet the same number admitted feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to their friend’s illness (57 per cent)
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9 out of 10 said that the opportunity to ask the advice of a professional (88 per cent) about their friend’s mental illness would have helped them to support their friend better
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New research shows Londoners fear opening up to friends about mental health. But friendships can be vital when coping with mental illness.
Londoners worry about what friends think…
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More than half of the respondents who did not want friends to know about their mental health problem said it was because they were ashamed of what friends may think (57 per cent)
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Another 57 per cent did not want to appear weak
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54 per cent did not want to be labelled
Sometimes, friends can feel helpless…
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1 in 4 Londoners said that when they found out about a friend’s mental health problem, they felt helpless (24 per cent)
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3 in 4 admitted feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to their friend’s mental illness (73 per cent)
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More than a third of people felt that their friendship was put under strain (39 per cent)
How friends reacted to mental illness…
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Londoners who had experienced a mental health problem said that when their friends found out about their illness, a third did not understand (33 per cent)
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Only one fifth (21 per cent) found their mental ill health difficult to accept
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2 out of 3 Londoners said that it helped to have friends around when experiencing a mental health problem (66 per cent)
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New research shows people in the North East fear opening up to friends about mental health. But friendships can be important when coping with mental illness.
People in the North East worry about what their friends think…
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Half of those (50 per cent) who did not want friends to know about their mental health problem said it was because they felt ashamed
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Two thirds (63 per cent) were worried that friends would not understand
Yet friends can help provide support…
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Reassuringly, people with mental health problems reported that when friends did find out, almost half (47 per cent) offered support
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Over a third of the respondents who had experienced a mental health problem said that friends provided the most support (37 per cent), over professionals and family members
But sometimes, friends need support to…
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In the North East 60 per cent of people who knew a friend with a mental health problem claimed they knew enough about mental health to provide help and advice
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4 in 5 admitted feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to their friend’s illness (79 per cent)
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2 in 5 (60 per cent) felt that having a professional to talk to would have helped them support their friend better
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60 per cent wanted better information about mental health
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New research shows people in the North West fear opening up to friends about mental health. But friendships can be vital when coping with mental illness.
People in the North West worry about what friends think…
- 2 out of 3 respondents who did not want friends to know about their mental health problem said it was because they did not want to be a burden (63 per cent) and more than half (58 per cent) said that it was because they felt ashamed
- 49 per cent said that they chose to tell a family member or a doctor about their mental health problem, before a friend
Yet friends can help provide support…
- Reassuringly, half of those in the North West with mental health problems reported that when their friends did find out, they expressed concern (51 per cent) and almost the same offered support
- Two thirds said that their friend’s mental illness did not put the friendship under strain (65 per cent)
- 41 per cent commented that when they experienced a mental health problem, their friends provided the most support
But sometimes, friends need support too…
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43 per cent of respondents in the North West felt they did not know enough about mental health to provide support to their friend
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3 in 5 admitted feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to their friend’s mental illness (59 per cent)
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Most of those surveyed felt that better information on mental health (50 per cent), a professional to talk to (50 per cent) and feeling like they could discuss the situation with other friends and family (45 per cent) would have helped them support their friend better.
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New research says people in the South East fear telling friends about mental health problems. But friendships can often be vital when coping with mental illness.
People in the South East worry about what our friends think…
- Most respondents who did not want their friend to know about their mental health problem said it was because they did not think their friend would understand (27 percent)
- 46 percent did not wish to become a burden
- The majority chose to tell a doctor, family member or partner about their mental health problem, before confiding in a friend (61 percent)
Yet friends can help provide support…
- Reassuringly, two thirds of those in the South East with mental health problems reported that when their friends did find out, they were concerned (64 percent)
- 45 percent offered support
- Nearly two thirds stated that their friendship was not put under strain (60 percent)
- Many commented that when experiencing a period of mental ill-health, their friend provided the most support (39 percent)
But sometimes, friends need support too…
- 57 percent of people in the South East said they knew enough about mental health to provide help and advice to their friend
- 3 in 4 still admitted to feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to their friend’s illness (75 percent)
- Most of those surveyed felt that better information on mental health (38 percent); the opportunity to speak to a professional (33 percent); and other friends and family they could talk to (29 percent) would have helped them support their friend better.
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New research says people in the South West fear telling friends about mental health problems. But friendships can often be vital when coping with mental illness.
- Over a third of people in the South West know at least five friends who have experienced mental distress
People in the South West worry about what friends think…
- 36 percent of people living in the South West of England know five or more friends but despite this, two thirds of the people surveyed (61 percent) preferred to tell a GP, family member or partner about their mental health problem before their friends
- The majority of respondents who did not want friends to know about their mental health problem said it was because they were ashamed (72 percent)
- 67 percent did not wish to sound weak
- 78 percent did not want to become a burden
Yet friends can help provide support…
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Two thirds of those in the South West with mental health problems reported that when their friends did find out, they were concerned (63 percent)
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More than half of them offered support (51 percent)
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Two thirds of people (66 percent) said their friendship was not put under strain
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3 in 5 commented that it helps to have friends around when experiencing a period of mental ill-health (59 percent)
But sometimes, friends need support too…
- Almost 70 percent of people in the South West admitted feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to their friend’s mental health problem (69 percent)
- More than half felt they did not know enough about mental health to provide help to friends (59 percent)
- Most felt that a professional to talk to (47 percent), other friends and family to help support their friend (37 percent), and more information from their friend about how they were feeling (37 percent), would have helped them support them better.
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New research says people in the West Midlands fear telling friends about mental health problems. But friendships can often help us cope.
People in the West Midlands are worried about what their friends think…
- More than half (57 per cent) of the respondents who did not want friends to know about their mental health problem said it was because they were ashamed
- 57 per cent did not want to be a burden
- 9 out of 10 people with mental health problems (88 per cent) commented that they turned to a doctor, partner or family member for help before telling friends
Yet friends can help provide support…
- Reassuringly, people with mental health problems reported that when friends did find out, around half were concerned (53 per cent)
- 47 per cent offered support
- 44 per cent also said that friends gave them the most support
But sometimes, friends need support to…
- 9 out of 10 people in the West Midlands (90 per cent) admitted to feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to their friend’s mental health problem
- 3 in 4 friends (71 per cent) said they would like the opportunity to speak to a professional
- 57 per cent felt that speaking to other friends and family members would help them to support their friend better
New research says people in Yorkshire and the Humber fear telling friends about mental health problems. But friendships can often be vital when coping with mental illness.
We are worried about what our friends think…
- In Yorkshire and the Humber, four in five people who did not want their friends to know about their mental health problem (78 per cent) said it was because they were ashamed
- 61 per cent said they did not want to be labelled
- Over half (55 per cent) stated they told a doctor, family member or partner about their mental health problem, before turning to friends
Yet friends can help provide support…
But sometimes, friends need support to…
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Nearly two thirds of people who knew a friend with a mental health problem felt they did not know enough about mental health to give advice (62 per cent)
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56 per cent said they would like better information to help them support their friend
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8 out of 10 people (79 per cent) admitted to feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to their friend’s mental health problem.
New research shows people in Northern Ireland fear opening up to friends about mental health. But friendships can be vital when coping with mental illness.
People in Northern Ireland worry about what friends think…
- Three out of four respondents who did not want their friends to know about their mental illness said it was because they did not wish to sound weak (75 per cent)
- 75 per cent said they did not wish to be a burden
And sometimes, friends can find mental illness difficult…
- In Northern Ireland, people with mental health problems reported that when their friends did find out, a fifth (20 per cent) found it difficult to accept
- A fifth also found it difficult to provide support (20 per cent)
- 7 out of 10 people admitted feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to their friend’s illness (70 per cent)
- 44 per cent revealed that their friend’s mental illness had put their friendship under strain
Sometimes, friends need information about mental illness…
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2 in 3 people in Northern Ireland felt they knew enough about mental health to provide support to their friend (60 per cent)
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But 40 per cent of those who had experienced a mental illness said that although their friend had tried to help, they did not understand enough about their condition to be able to.
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New research says Scottish people fear telling friends about mental health problems. But friendships can often be vital when coping with mental illness.
People in Scotland worry about what friends will think…
- 9 out of 10 respondents (87 percent) who said they did not want friends to know about their mental health problem said it was because they were ashamed
- 87 percent did not want to sound weak
- 4 out of 5 respondents did not think their friend would understand (80 percent)
- One third commented that a doctor was the first person they told about their mental health problem, instead of a family member or friend (31 percent)
Yet friends can help provide support…
- 2 out of 3 people in Scotland thought that they knew enough about mental health issues to help friends who were experiencing a problem (62 percent)
- Reassuringly, the majority of people with mental health problems said that when their friend did find out about their mental illness they were concerned (60 percent)
- 46 percent offered support
- 44 percent of people living in Scotland said that during a period of mental ill-health, friends provided the most support
But sometimes, friends need support too…
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Despite most Scottish people being aware of mental health issues (62 percent) two thirds of people surveyed admitted to feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to their friend’s mental health problem (67 percent)
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The majority believed that a professional to talk to (58 percent) and more information from their friend about how they were feeling (67 percent) would have helped them to support their friend better.
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New research shows people in Wales have more friends with mental health problems than other parts of the UK. But the Welsh still fear telling friends about mental illness.
The Welsh worry about what friends think…
- 4 out of 5 people surveyed said that they did not want friends to know about their mental health problem because they were ashamed (80 percent)
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All Welsh respondents did not wish to be labelled (100 percent)
- Most stated that a doctor, family member or partner was the first person they turned to for help, instead of a friend (42 percent)
And friends have trouble providing support…
- When people found out that a friend was experiencing a mental health problem, 58 percent were concerned
- One third offered support (33 percent)
- Half of the respondents (50 percent) felt they did not know enough about mental health to provide help
- 3 in 5 people thought better information on mental health (60 percent) and more time with their friend (60 percent) would help them give better support
But it does help to have friends around…
- Despite this lack of knowledge, most people who had experienced a mental health problem said that it helped to have friends around them (50 percent)
- Two thirds of respondents commented that the best thing a friend did for them during their mental ill-health, was to just be around (67 percent).
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