Results of our survey on attitudes to mental health

63% of people believe that being treated for a mental health difficulty is still seen by Irish society as a sign of personal failure.

• Disclosures of mental health difficulties

  • Respondents would most likely tell their partner (73%) if their child was being treated for a mental health difficulty, but 8% would tell no one.
  • 11% of respondents would tell no one if they were on antidepressants, but 71% would tell a partner; 49% would tell a friend; and 58% would tell a family member.
  • 57% of people would tell their partner if they were having suicidal thoughts; 36% would tell a friend; 38% would tell a family member; and 19% would tell no one.
  • 66% would tell a partner if they had previously been an inpatient for a mental health difficulty; 42% would tell a friend; 49% would tell a family member; and 17% would tell no one.
  • 63% would tell their partner if they felt they had an issue with substance abuse; 46% would tell a friend; 43% would tell a family member and 13% would tell no one.
  • 92% of respondents would tell someone (either a partner, family member, friend, colleague etc) if they were experiencing a mental health difficulty.

• Acceptance in society

  • 71% of people believe that Irish society would accept someone with a mental health difficulty as a close friend.
  • 55% of respondents believe that Irish society would treat someone with a mental health problem the same as anyone else.
  • 67% believe that patients in mental health services often fully recover and lead normal lives.
  • 70% believe Irish society would willingly accept someone who has received outpatient mental health treatment.
  • 60% of respondents think that someone who experiences panic attacks could be head of a company.
  • 91% of respondents would raise it with their partner if they were worried their partner was having mental health difficulties.
  • 64% of people would be okay explaining to their boss that they needed time off work due to a mental health difficulty.
  • 61% believe that Irish people would accept someone who has received inpatient mental health treatment.
  • 73% of respondents believe that Irish people tend to view people who have spent time as an inpatient differently.
  • 25% of the respondents believe that the public should be better protected from people with mental health difficulties.
  • 61% of respondents are afraid of experiencing mental health difficulties in the future.
  • 21% would consider it a sign of weakness if they sought help for a mental health difficulty, yet only 8% would consider it a sign of weakness if a friend/family member or colleague sought help for a mental health difficulty.
  • 69% believe Irish people would willingly accept someone recovering from a substance abuse problem.
  • 83% believe there is a worrying prevalence of anxiety in Irish society (an increase from 77% in those surveyed in 2019's survey).
  • 74% would feel comfortable living next door to someone with bipolar disorder.
  • 70% would marry someone who had previously been hospitalised with depression.
  • 28% would not trust someone who experienced postnatal depression to babysit their children.

• Children and family

  • 67% of parents to children under the age of 18 are worried about their children’s mental health (10% increase from 2019).
  • 74% of parents to children under the age of 18 believe there is an association between social media and anxiety in children.
  • 16% of parents to children under the age of 18 have sought mental health services for their child and, of those who sought help, 37% of their children were diagnosed with a mental health difficulty.
  • 12% of respondents said they, or a family member, have experienced discrimination at work due to mental health difficulties.
  • 9% of respondents said they, or a family member, have experienced discrimination in the community due to mental health difficulties.
  • 17% of respondents said they, or a family member, have experienced discrimination within their family due to mental health difficulties.
  • Conversely, 28% of people said that they, or a family member, have had positive experiences of disclosing mental health difficulties at work; 21% had positive experiences of disclosing in their local community; and 36% have had positive experiences of disclosing within their families.