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More women seek mental health help
Anna Davis24 Mar 2009
A GROWING number of women are seeking help for mental health problems, data published today show.
In total, one in 50 Britons - about 1.2 million - needed help in 2007-08 for "severe and enduring" mental health problems, with women accounting for 56 per cent of the total. The figures represent a three per cent rise on a year earlier with women making up 70 per cent of the rise.
However, the figures from the NHS Information Centre do not take into account patients who were treated directly by their GP.
Paul Farmer, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, said: "Women often take sole responsibility for caring for elderly relatives, looking after young children or teenagers and managing a full-time career. Juggling all of these roles can be a heavy burden to bear."
But the figures also showed that 55,000 men - as opposed to 51,000 women - were hospitalised for their condition and Mr Farmer added: "It is important not to overlook the mental wellbeing of men."
