One in four adults has been diagnosed with a mental illness at some stage during their lifetime, the annual health survey for England suggests. The survey asked 5,000 adults and found 26% said they had received a mental health illness diagnosis. Attitudes towards mental health were also examined.
Depression was the most frequently reported mental illness, with nearly one in five (19%) people saying they had been diagnosed with the condition. Women were more likely than men to have depression, the survey found.
Other findings in the survey include:
Half of those who reported being diagnosed with a common mental disorder said that they had experienced the condition in the past 12 months
3% of men and 5% of women reported they had self-harmed
4% of men and 7% of women reported suicide attempts
The survey makes a distinction between common and serious mental health disorders, with common ones being conditions such as anxiety and phobias while serious conditions are illnesses such as bipolar, eating disorders and schizophrenia. The survey found that rates of ever being diagnosed with a common mental disorder were higher among women at 31% than men at 17%.
Rachel Craig, from the National Centre for Social Research which carried out study, said: "This survey leaves us in no doubt as to the prevalence of mental ill health in England.
"Despite it affecting so many of us, prejudice against people with a mental illness still exists and there is some resistance to the provision of community care for people suffering with mental ill health.
"Men are more likely to hold prejudiced and less tolerant views than women. But there is evidence that if you know someone with a mental illness you are less likely to hold negative views."
Earlier in the week Prime Minister David Cameron promised an "all-out assault on poverty" with a series of social reforms to include better mental health services and mentoring schemes.