Mental health fears 'kept secret'

More than 80% of people in Scotland know at least two friends who have experienced mental distress, research suggests.

The Mental Health Foundation research also revealed many people did not want to admit their problems to friends for fear of what they would think.

Almost nine out of 10 respondents said it was because they were ashamed. The survey was carried out to mark Mental Health Action Week, which runs until Saturday.

Nine out of 10 people, who had experienced mental health problems, did not want to appear weak by telling friends, and four out of five did not think their friends would understand.

Some 62% of people in Scotland felt that they knew enough about mental health issues to help friends who were experiencing a problem. The majority of people with mental health problems (60%) said that when their friends did find out about their mental illness they expressed concern.

A total of 44% of people living in Scotland said that during a period of mental ill health, friends provided the most support - ahead of family members and professionals. Two thirds (67%) of people surveyed admitted to feeling frustrated because there was no simple solution to a friend's mental health problem.

More than half of the respondents (58%) believed that having a professional to talk to and receiving more information from their friends about how they were feeling (67%) would have helped them to offer more support.

Dr Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said: "Friendships are very important for good mental well-being, yet people can feel ashamed or embarrassed to tell their friends about how they feel, and friends are sometimes unsure of how exactly they can help. "People who feel mentally unwell might find it hard to discuss how they're feeling but friends can provide support."

The Mental Health Foundation has produced a new booklet called Keeping Us Going, which offers help and guidance for people with mental health problems and their friends.