1/ The majority of mental health problems can be addressed and resolved in the short term. 

While mental health is usually associated with severe mental illness, the term refers to a spectrum ranging from good health to serious illness and it is defined by the World Health Organization as follows: 

Quote: 'A state of well-being in which an individual is aware of his or her own capabilities'.

In fact, most of the mental health problems are not serious and long-lasting, and are more often mild to moderate and transient. The global prevalence figures show that an estimated 300 million people worldwide suffer forms of depression and that anxiety disorders affect nearly 4% of the world's population. These two conditions make up the bulk of mental health problems.

2/ By 2050, approximately 152 million people are expected to suffer from some form of dementia, 68% of which are in low or middle income countries. The annual cost of dementia is expected to reach $2 trillion by as early as 2030.

Worldwide, there is a patient diagnosed every three seconds with symptoms of dementia, as listed below

•      Memory loss
•          Disorientation
•      Erratic behaviour
•      Difficulties with daily tasks
•          Language consistency problems

 And Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of these cases. This translates into nearly ten million new cases per year worldwide, which equates to more than fifty million affected patients.

3/ "Eco-fear is real and growing, and this affects young people in particular.

In 2019, 68% of the world's population considered climate change a major threat. Many feel helpless and even desperate about the vision of irreparable environmental destruction and its consequences for their future and that of following generations. This is referred to as "Eco-Anxiety". Youth seems to suffer this in particular: Forty percent of 16-24 year-olds in the United Kingdom, say they are concerned about the situation, compared to 29% of the total population.  

4/ There is a gender differentiation in the prevalence of mental illness.

The figures show that depression, anxiety, eating and bipolar disorders are on average more common in women, while schizophrenia and drug use disorders tend to be more common in men. In women, some conditions can be caused by childbirth, early motherhood and the "double burden" of unpaid domestic labour. In the UK, for example, one in five women experiences mental health problems during pregnancy or in the first year after giving birth.  

5/ Diet affects mental health in several ways

It has long been known that people's emotional state affects their eating behaviour. Conversely, there is growing evidence that food affects not only well-being, but also the prevalence of some mental illnesses (depression, Alzheimer's, etc.). For example, populations that have a Mediterranean diet track a 33% lower risk of depression, and a Japanese Washoku Diet can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 36%.

Gut flora (microbiota) also seems to play a role, as it affects our well-being and mind health through the gut-brain axis. For example, a lack of a specific bacteria type can be linked to depression symptoms.

6/ Sleep deprivation stimulates depression, in societieswhere people generally sleep less.

With modern living habits, the time people spend on sleep is getting shorter. A 2019 study shows that the French population does not sleep more than 6 hours and 42 minutes a day on average. Up to 35.9% of the population even sleeps less than 6 hours. Worldwide, the proportion of people who are "short sleepers" with sleep deprivation is rising.

Sleep is essential for general health and well-being. Sleep deprivation has been linked to many chronic diseases and conditions such as type-2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression.

7/ About half of cases of mental illness start at the age of 14 years, and 75% of cases develop before the age of 25 years.

It is estimated that 10% of children and teenagers have a clinically diagnosed mental illness, which is one of the leading causes of disability among young people. About half of all cases start at the age of fourteen. Given the serious consequences in adulthood and the positive results of early treatment, tackling mental illness among young people is therefore crucial for providing them with better support.

8/ There is a strong correlation between social status and the development of common mental disorders.

Studies show that the less egalitarian societies are, the more likely they are to have to deal with a wide variety of these health issues:  

•  Dependency habits;
• Chronic illnesses;
• Isolation

 And they have to deal with the following social problems too: 

• lower life expectancy;
• higher infant mortality rate;
• poor educational performance;
• lower social mobility;
• an increase in violence.

The accessibility of mental health care is highly dependent on the level of economic development of a country, which means that the income disparities also lead to higher numbers of untreated mental health disorders. While 35% to 50% of patients with severe mental health problems in high-income countries do not receive treatment, these numbers rise to a minimum of 76% in low-income countries – so social cohesion directly affects mental illness.

9/ Burnout possibly leads to $190 billion of healthcare costs every year.

As the health effects of stress are increasingly recognized, working conditions have become the subject of close scrutiny. 

•  Burnout (physical or mental exhaustion);
• Boreout (boredom due to mental under-load);
• Brownout (retirement or dropping out due to loss of meaning)

are al mental illnesses directly related to the workplace. The World Health Organization has classified burnout as a clinical syndrome resulting from chronic stress in the workplace. This might be the first step towards full recognition of this as an occupational and work-related illness. The stigma related to burnout is gradually reducing, and its prevalence is now being reported in all walks of life.

10/ Your Instagram account can be harmful to your mental health.

While the modern world is supposed to be increasingly open and connected, the feeling of loneliness persists. Social isolation - as a state of near or complete lack of contact between an individual and society - acts as a particularly important catalyst in increasing the risk of mental disorders.

Contrary to the promise initially delivered by the major social platforms, social media can exacerbate the feeling of loneliness rather than offering new friends: a study has shown that for every 10% increase in negative experiences on social media there is a 13% increase in loneliness. Moreover, members of the population aged under twenty-five are more prone to social isolation, cyberbullying and withdrawal due to their intensive use of social media.

* Original article from AXA group.