Half of young people would consider hiding mental health issues from family and friends

See Change says the research provides valuable insight into how younger people view and address their own mental health. 

More than half of younger people would consider hiding mental health difficulties from their family or their friends, according to a new report.

Research from See Change also reveals that one in five 15-24-year-olds would go as far as delaying treatment for their mental health issues out of fear of others finding out.

See Change, a project of mental health charity Shine, conducted the report to highlight the extent to which mental health stigma can hinder recovery.

Half of those surveyed said they feared facing a mental health difficulty at some point in the future, which See Change suggests shows more people now acknowledge that anyone can be susceptible to such difficulties.

See Change ambassador Daniela Ferro said concealing mental health issues only serves to compound the problem. 

Living with a mental health difficulty sometimes feels like I should win an Oscar.

"I conceal what’s going on behind the smiles and jokes, I pretend I am as happy as ever,” she said.

“The fear of being rejected and being denied to be any more than my diagnosis turns me into an actress.”

Conversely, the report also found seven in 10 people would feel comfortable talking about mental health difficulties, provided it was their friends or family who approached them to begin the discussion.

See Change programmes leader Barbara Brennan says the research provides valuable insight into how younger people view and address their own mental health.

“Mental health stigma is rooted in our history of institutionalisation, which kept those with mental health difficulties separate from everyone else.

“While some progress has been made, these findings show that societal change is a slow process and that there’s still a lot to do to end mental health stigma,” she said.

Ms Brennan said See Change's aim is to challenge the “misinformation and wrong assumptions” and the misuse of certain “stigmatising” language.

One of the ways that people can help end this stigma is by educating ourselves about the different types of mental illnesses.

“We should also be mindful of stigmatising language such as using words like ‘mad’ or ‘crazy’ to describe everyday experiences," she said. 

“While these words may not mean much to you, they could have serious implications for those who have been labelled with these words in the past and may mean that they won’t speak to you about their mental health issues if they need your support as a friend.”