Mental ill health can affect every single one of us. There is widespread ignorance of mental ill health in the general population and there is the associated stigma too. For some the stigma can lead to delays in people seeking help and support. There is also a lack of confidence in what to do if someone is distressed or in a crisis situation.
In any one year, approximately 1 in 4 British adults experience at least one diagnosable mental health issue. Mental ill health costs UK employers an estimated £26 billion, which equates to an average of over £1,000 per employee. By learning to recognise the signs that someone may be unwell, you may be able to provide initial help, to guide a person towards appropriate professional help, and in its most powerful form, save a life by learning basic suicide intervention skills. |