World Mental Health Day 2018
World Mental Health Day falls on 10 October every year. Last year, the theme was mental health in the workplace; you can read my blog post here. This year, World Mental Health Day focuses on young people and mental health in a changing world. As a Trustee for Swindon and Gloucestershire Mind, and a Trustee (formerly mentor) for SMASH, the needs of children and young people, and the support services available are regular agenda items.
Much has changed since I was a child, most notably technology. Limited to one or two boxy BBC computers at school, we had an Acorn Archimedes and a ZX Spectrum at home. I spent many hours as a teenager writing BASIC programmes, and playing cassette loaded games. That is, when I wasn’t outside enjoying the fresh air. There was no internet access, neither was there any social media. Look-in and Smash Hits provided news on popular culture. The BBC screened a testcard when it went off air overnight; 24 hour broadcasting didn’t arrive until the late 1990s. The first real pressure of education came with GCSE exams.
Fast-forward into the current century, and Facebook (2004), Youtube (2005), Twitter (2006), Tumblr (2007), and Instagram (2010), are some of the many online social media sites. A 2016 study by research firm Childwise found that children aged 5-15 spent on average 3 hours a day online, and 2.1 hours a day watching television. With school and homework to contend with, tied up in the National Curriculum Key Stages and tests, this doesn’t leave much time for anything else.
The statistics are stark. Among young people today:
- 75% of those with a mental health condition start developing it before the age of 18
- Half of all mental illness begins before the age of 14
- In those who suffer mental health illness, three quarters of illnesses are established by the age of 24
- 7 in 10 children and adolescents who experience mental ill health have not had interventions at a sufficiently early age
- 3 children in every class at school have a diagnosable mental health condition
Those who do not receive early diagnosis, support, and intervention are more likely to go on to experience serious problems in later life.
(Data from MQ Transforming mental health through research)
In support of this year’s World Mental Health Day, Mental Health First Aid, England, has published a Mental Health Day 2018 toolkit. Among the downloads is a list of coping strategies, one of which is the importance of setting time aside to have fun.
Returning to the theme of a changing world, many children and young people own one or more mobile devices. An Ofcom study, published in November 2017, reported that among:
- 3-4 year olds, 1% had their own smartphone, and 21% had their own tablet
- 5-7 year olds, 5% had their own smartphone, and 35% had their own tablet
- 8-11 year olds, 39% had their own smartphone, and 52% had their own tablet
- 12-15 year olds, 83% had their own smartphone, and 55% had their own tablet
These mobile devices may come with some sort of camera. Now, of course, photography won’t solve everybody’s mental health issues. However, photography can be a form of therapy. The activity as a whole includes so much more than simply the final photograph. Photography can be combined with time outside, exploring the natural environment. Cameras can be used for quick snapping, creating artwork, documenting events, and recording memories. Shooting from the heart, driven by emotions, we capture photos which hold a deeply personal meaning. Then, in our interconnected world, pictures can be shared widely and quickly. Photography needn’t require a huge kitbag; mobile devices are often equipped with high performance cameras.
I hope that when our son is older, we can enjoy photography together. But more than just enjoying the photography, I hope we will appreciate the experience. The thrill of watching nature, the pleasure of being outside exploring, and the opportunity to spend time together away from televisions and the internet. The activity in itself won’t make him immune to experiencing mental ill health, but I hope it will play a part in supporting his physical and mental wellbeing.
This is a great post. Lots of interesting facts and stats I didn’t know. And ways in which we can help prevent or help with mental illness x #Blogstravaganza
Thank you, Rosie. It’s important to recognise the multitude of ways in which we can support others’ mental health, whether towards keeping one and other healthy or helping people deal with illness. Too often, people are afraid to talk of their mental health, and if they do, others don’t always know what to do with the information x #Blogstravaganza
These are astonishing statistics. I appreciate that data might not have been available in the same way 25 years ago (prior to the internet and all the social media channels for example) but wouldn’t it be an interesting comparison if it was. I hope that the focus and drive to recognise mental health conditions in all ages will continue and support those, especially the young, as they navigate their way through childhood, adolescence and beyond. Thank you for linking up with #Blogstravaganza x
I agree; the comparison would be interesting if we had like for like statistics. I agree that the focus needs to continue shifting. NSPCC figures show that an average of 150 referrals a day are turned away from NHS children’s mental health services. The charity is calling on the government to shift focus towards early intervention. Let’s hope they succeed x
Gosh, that’s so sad! xx
Thank you for making this your featured post. It’s such an important subject x #Blogstravaganza