Essex therapist calls for more funding to mental health services as public’s mental health declines
75% of therapists say the public’s mental health has declined compared to last year
Three quarters of therapists say the public’s mental health has declined compared to last year and around 90% of these professionals cite cost-of-living concerns as a key reason.
That's according to new research from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Dee Johnson is a Psychotherapist and BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor who operates in Leigh and Chelmsford.
She says she speaks to people affected by the cost of living crisis every day: "I hear about it every single day, one way or the other. Everybody's impacted by it. For some, it's an add on to things they were already going through, adding an extra layer of fear, anxiety and stress, particularly when you tie that in with post-pandemic trauma, where people had losses but couldn't go through normal grieving rituals and processes...
"Then add on the economic crisis on top and there are a lot of people in a tricky situation. We're seeing more people than ever."
She says she's had more people asking for support than ever before - but sees that as a good thing, at least in part: "I've seen more people seeking mental health support for the first time in their lives... people that thought they were okay actually putting their hands up and saying: 'We're done, we can't do this'...
"That's positive! It actually means more people are asking for help, and that the shame and stigma is going... It suggests people aren't so fearful of actually talking about their mental health and saying they want help and guidance.
"Yes, the issues have gone up, but isn't it great that therapy isn't a secret, embarrassing thing people feel they have to hide anymore?"
The BACP's study found 50% of therapists across the UK say they're over capacity, and unable to provide enough support.
Dee is the same: "I've had to close my books and I've never done that before."
She'd now like to see the government need to invest more in mental health services: "I think we need the services to be increased in terms of employing people to actually deliver mental health services quicker because otherwise it becomes a false economy.
"If we leave people to reach crisis point, it'll cost everybody a lot more money than investing in more support. Prevention is better than cure so we should be providing maintenance, education and help with mental fitness.
"There should be parity between mental and physical health. It shouldn't be the secondary partner in healthcare. Take A&E, for example - if somebody is having a crisis or a breakdown and is at risk because of their mental health, it shouldn't be a 2-3 week wait for the crisis team.
"Mental health needs to be taken seriously."