Do you think mental health is taken seriously these days? It should be. Many people don’t seek the help they need, but one place that should be a safe place for mental illness is your doctor’s office. A visit to the doctor should not be something to be ashamed of, but instead a chance to discuss your worries with a professional. Even though it’s a serious issue, many people tend to ignore their symptoms out of fear of the stigma.
The Child Mind Institute reports that nearly two million teens and adults in the U.S. are suspended or expelled each year. Nearly 28,000 students drop out each year. These teens are more likely to be in jail or to have a substance abuse problem than a college graduate. Those without a high school diploma live 9.2 years less than those with a diploma. This fact shows that the country has a serious mental health problem.
The rise of the MHRF is another example of how the mental health system has changed. In the 1950s, Derek Richter advocated research into social causes of mental ill-health. He also founded a wartime research laboratory that helped soldiers suffering from shellshock. The Mental Health Research Fund also published several humanitarian books about mental illness and societal determinants. Mental health was still stigmatized back then, when people with mental health problems were often branded as ‘defective’ and sent to asylums. These ‘incurable’ qualities of a person’s illness hindered treatment, and were not taken seriously by many doctors. In the 1950s, he collaborated with Ian Henderson, who later became the Chairman of the MHRF and Sir Geoffrey Vickers.
