Why We Must Tackle Taboo Around Mental Health
16 News Letter, Tuesday, January 11, 2011 16 Mental Health Focus www.newsletter.co.uk Ulster: a picture of our poor state of mind One in four adults will experience mental health Mental illness: difficulties at some stage of their lives, and one in 100 the facts will be affected by a severe n It is believed that a variety of factors mental illness. In the first can contribute to the onset of a mental of our Mental Health Focus illness series, LAURA MURPHY asks n These can include physical causes i.e. our genetic make-up, if we suffer how this issue affects people a trauma to the brain (this can lead to in Northern Ireland changes in personality and ‘trigger’ symptoms of an illness), if we misuse substances, or if we are deficient in IN 1948, the World Health Organisation said certain vitamins and minerals that health “is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely n There are also social and the absence of disease or infirmity.” environmental causes, such as our family In today’s pressured, fast-paced society, the and community support networks, our state of our mental health is more important employment status, and standard of than ever. living At the end of last year, Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said that mental health n Our mental health can be influenced problems are among the most common forms by our psychological state i.e. if we are of ill health and disability in our society. coping with past or current traumatic “It is estimated that approximately 280,000 experiences such as bereavement or people in Northern Ireland are affected,” he abuse revealed.
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