Millions of people will be affected by mental health problems at some point in their lives but are they all due to social effects? Anyone can experience these problems. Some people from several backgrounds and social situations are at a significantly higher risk. There are welcome new attitudes in society that are far more sensitive to mental health issues. Still, many sufferers face barriers in society, such as employment, health care, and family support. Those of us in good mental health can take it for granted.
Social exclusion such as this can have long-lasting effects on some individuals in society. Unfortunately, it often marks the beginning of a downward trend towards poor health, unemployment, debt, and family breakdowns.
This article is about the social effects of mental health problems.
Social Factors That Affect Mental Health
Compared to people who do not have a mental health problem, people between the ages of 16 and 74 with a common mental health condition are more likely to:
- Be a woman (59 percent )
- Between 35 and 54 years of age (45 percent compared with 38 percent )
- Live on your own (20 percent compared with 16 percent )
- Be a family of one parent (9 percent compared with 4 percent )
- Not have a formal qualification (31 percent compared with 27 percent )
- Be a tenant of a housing association or a local authority (26 percent compared with 15 percent )
These associations reflect that mental health problems are more prevalent in socially disadvantaged areas.
Social Effects Of Mental Health Problems
These Are The Social Effects Of Mental Health Problems:
Jobs and Mental Health
Mental health problems have had a greater effect on an individual’s ability to work. Workers who have a mental illness often do not work at full capacity. It is because these problems impair their ability to do so. So, it causes nearly 40 percent of all days lost due to injury. It accounts for 40 percent of all days lost due to the Incapacity benefit. And 23 percent of all new Disability Living Allowance claimants.
Mental health problems typically cause decreased memory, impaired focus, attention, and fatigue. If a person is taking treatment to treat mental health problems, these symptoms can worsen. It is one of the Social Effects of Mental health problems. Depression is one of the most common mental health problems in the United Kingdom. It has a greater impact on productivity and time control than any other health condition. It competes with rheumatoid arthritis for affecting physical tasks. Mental ill-health creates issues that hamper employment requiring high levels of public contact. Presenteeism-where the worker attends work but is not productive be due to poor mental health. This problem can affect up to 60% of the cost of mental health to businesses. This may be that people who have mental health problems don’t show any signs. And they don’t want to ‘prove’ that they have problems because of their stigma.
Caring For A Beloved One: Financial Costs
Many face extra financial costs of caring for a loved one that can burden family relationships. This is one of the main social impacts on carers’ mental health. Carers UK has found that people of working age who care for their partner or disabled children have higher utility costs to pay. It reflects the likelihood that they will share the same house. Caring for an elderly parent living away may affect transport costs.
Physical and Mental Health
The pressures that caregivers face can affect their mental and physical health. 92 percent said the treatment had taken a toll on their mental health. It caused them depression and stress. This effect is compounded by the lack of time for check-ups or recovery by carers or the lack of appropriate and affordable replacement care. Two in five caregivers say they postponed treatment because of their responsibilities. Carers UK has found that some carers had also been discharged early from the hospital to take care of the person they were looking for.
The 2013 GP Patient Survey concluded that 50% of non-caregivers had a long-term health problem. This increased to 60 percent of all carers and up to 70 percent of carers caring for more than 50 hours each week. The report also highlighted many diseases among carers. These include increased levels of:
- Diabetes
- Long-term back problems
- Asthma
- High blood pressure
- Mobility problems
- Depression and anxiety
The GPs of carers who cared for more than 50 hours a week knew their duties (84 percent). Most of these carers (71 percent) said their GP did not do anything different to help them. Hardly any carers have a GP who carries out home or telephone checks or daily health checks.
Social Exclusion and Relationships
75 percent of caregivers found it difficult to maintain social relationships. And many do not understand the impact of caring.
Due to the responsibilities a caregiver takes on, they frequently report feelings of loneliness. The primary reasons for this include people who do not understand their position and the reluctance to take time off. This results in a lack of communication with colleagues, friends, and even family members. According to the 2014 State of Care study, 57% claimed they had lost contact with their friends. Almost half of them believed that it was because they need practical support to socialize.
Homelessness and Mental Health
Homeless Connection is a national charity for groups operating with homeless people in England. According to it, homeless people are likely to experience elevated anxiety levels and depression.
The number of homeless people living with mental health disorders (45%) is now almost double that of the general population (nearly 25 percent ). The prevalence of depression in homeless people is much higher. Many homeless individuals may have mental health issues. These include post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
Of those diagnosed with mental health issues, 12 percent reported problems with alcohol and drugs. When people are dealing with their mental wellbeing and alcohol or medications, it’s considered a ‘dual diagnosis.’ This tends to restrict people from seeking and receiving support. It is because some providers are unwilling to help people who have issues with drugs.
41 percent of participants said that they used drugs or alcohol to deal with their mental health issues. This highlights the high cost of not being able to get the right help when it is needed.
The Bottom Line
Whether your social factors affect your mental health, or you know someone in that position. It’s important to speak about your experiences and the negativity surrounding them.
Counseling provides a safe and confidential space to discuss what affects you and help overcome certain problems, including anxiety and depression.
There are a variety of treatments available to people who have mental health issues. Talking may help you understand what could have caused the problem and how you can cope with it. Common types of talk therapy include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Cognitive analytical therapy (CAT)
- Creative therapy
- Rehabilitation and psychotherapy
