Greater Manchester has highest rates of mental health cases in the UK

A RECENT study suggests that mental health cases are higher in Greater Manchester compared to other cities in the United Kingdom.

According to the M.E.N’s recent analysis, Greater Manchester is dealing with a big levels of depression and anxiety.

In Tameside and Glossop, North Manchester and Oldham, there is a higher rate of mental health cases that need to be dealt with.

However, a small amount of people is choosing to get treatment and deal with their wellbeing.

Meanwhile a report from the Mirror, supports that mental health patients have to wait up to four years in order to get a proper NHS counselling.

More than half people who refer to NHS for psychological counselling are promised to get an appointment within the next six to 18 weeks and begin their treatment.

However, this new report shows that mental health patients are receiving treatment after four years.

Neil Murphy-, senior lecture and practicing mental health nurse in Salford, believes that mental health patients need to access the right treatment from the outset.

He added: “Anyone can experience mental illness and there is a need for dignity and compassion for someone who is suffering. They don’t need sympathy but empathy. Importantly there is a need for tolerance for someone who may not behave like you may.”

According to the M.E.N, five to six people who received treatment in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, didn’t get the treatment they needed. As a result, some of them got worse while others didn’t feel any difference.

Murphy added: “Mental illness may be influenced by stress and there are many areas of deprivation that will impact on presentation. Further people with long term mental health problems tend to live in poorer housing therefore there will be a skewed presentation to where people live.

“Organisations that care for the longer term mentally ill tend to purchase properties in less expensive areas, hence further skewing the distribution of the mentally ill. Living in poorer areas and having less security will lead to stress hence a vicious circle.”

The long waiting lists for treatments seem to appear in cities like North London and Avon.

Murphy said: “There is a need for greater transparency of care and the provision of training for staff to address the shortfalls in some areas of speciality.”

The most common mental health disorders in England are anxiety and depression with more than 10.6% suffering from depression in Manchester.

For more information on how to get help visit the NHS website.