The recent comments made by former Prime Minister Tony Blair on the subject of self-diagnosis of mental health conditions continue to spark significant conversation.
Blair’s point was that society's growing focus on mental health places an unsustainable financial burden on the UK government. His argument centres on the notion that many of these issues may not be mental health conditions, but rather the "stresses of everyday life."
While it’s true that not every challenge we face is a clinical mental health condition, we must not downplay the importance of mental health awareness or discourage those who genuinely need help from seeking support. Early recognition is often the first step toward getting the right care.
According to Dr Hannah Wilson, consultant psychologist and head of clinical governance and clinical psychology lead at Kooth, there is a need for greater availability of early and preventative support.