Last week was World Mental Health Day (10th October), a day to talk about mental health and show everyone that mental health matters. 

According to Project Hope, two-thirds of people with mental health conditions do not receive the care they need. As much as 70% of the world population do not receive the treatment they need for mental illness. This is due to obstacles such as lack of resources and trained health workers, as well as the considerable impact of stigma surrounding mental health.

This becomes even more severe an issue when we consider that people with serious mental illness are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. People with depression, for instance, have a 40% higher risk of developing these conditions, whilst people with serious mental illness are nearly twice as likely.

The impact of mental health extends beyond the general population – according to Project Hope, doctors are twice as likely as the general population to die by suicide, with women being the most vulnerable.

Loneliness Is a subtle but dangerous threat in the realm of mental health, as the National Survey has highlighted that 13% of people in Wales were found to be lonely – this figure has remained steady over the previous two years.

Meanwhile, around 20% of the world’s children and adolescents have a mental health condition, with suicide the second leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds. Moreover, approximately 1 in 5 people in post-conflict settings have a mental health condition.

There is also a critical issue facing Wales concerning mental health among farmers, with 36 suicides registered in England and Wales by those in the farming and agricultural industry in 2021.

Despite steps being taken in the right direction by Welsh Ministers to deal with mental health issues in Wales, the dire state of the Welsh NHS – especially regarding the disastrous waiting lists – has severely hamstrung efforts and left many people with extremely long waits for diagnosis and treatment.

Addressing challenges in the healthcare workforce is key to tackling mental health challenges in Wales, including GPs, who are the ‘front door’ to mental health services.

Last week in the Senedd, in a bid to ensure that people in Wales with mental health issues receive the support and services they need, the Welsh Conservatives put forward a motion calling on the Welsh Government to:

• Introduce a new Mental Health Act for Wales to improve access to mental health support and treatment for patients and their families and ensure that mental health has parity of esteem with physical health;
• Ensure that spending on mental health and wellbeing services is increased in real terms annually to meet the demands placed on mental health services;  
• Commit to providing a dedicated in-patient eating disorder unit in Wales;
• and ensure that all public bodies in Wales offer mental health first aid training to staff.

Talking is good for your mental health, and talking about mental health is important.

I would urge anyone who is struggling with their mental health, to reach out, whether that is to a family member, a friend, a work colleague or one of the many organisations and support groups out there.

If you are concerned that you are developing a mental health problem you should seek the advice and support of your GP as a matter of priority. If you are thinking about ending your life, please call 999 (UK) or go to A&E and ask for the contact of the nearest crisis resolution team. These are teams of mental health care professionals who work with people in severe distress.

You can also use the NHS ‘111 press option 2’ phone line for mental health, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all ages. People can use this number if they have an urgent mental health concern themselves or about someone they know.

For a list of all the organisations out there to help, please visit: Get help | Mental Health Foundation