Stigma of mental illness unfair and crude

SIXTY five percent of people believe that being treated for a mental health issue is a sign of personal failure, according to a survey by St Patrick’s Mental Health Services.

Some 20% of people are unsure they would want to live next door to someone who previously had a mental health problem, and 15% are not sure if people with mental health issues should have children.

In September, a young man with a history of mental health difficulties killed his two younger brothers, while a violent death occurred on the grounds of a psychiatric hospital.