
Medicalising everyday life doesn’t help anyone’s mental health - tiniuclx
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/24/medicalising-mental-health-ilnness-nhs
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ziddoap
Interesting read addressing something that is certainly a problem, I think.

I would comment on the following, however:

 _" The proportion of sickness benefit claims made in relation to a mental
health problem more than doubled in the period from 1995 to 2014 (from 21% to
46%), while more than 40% of absences among the employed are attributed to
mental health problems."_

The author uses the cited figures to show how much of an increase we have had
in mental health issues, despite the increase in anti-depressants. One facet
not mentioned, however, is the changing culture and reduction in stigma in
relation to mental health.

The conclusion of the article cited says, in part, this:

 _" Claimants with other conditions fell by 35%."_

Which would lead one to believe that perhaps a significant portion of the
"new" mental health related sick leave may _always_ have been mental health,
but now instead of having to lie about the reason, people are more willing to
admit that they need the time for mental health.

