Government to tackle mental health discrimination

Some £16 million has been pledged by the government to combat mental health stigma in the UK.

In conjunction with Comic Relief, Time to Change will address discrimination against people with mental health issues and will aim to build confidence amongst those people experiencing mental health problems.

"One in four of us will experience some form of mental health problem during our lives," stated Paul Burstow, care services minister.

"Coping with a mental health condition is difficult enough without the added burden of overcoming discrimination too," he continued.

Many people with mental health issues expect to face discrimination on a regular basis.

In 2009 a study claimed that people with schizophrenia experience stigma because of the lack of knowledge of the syndrome in society.

This discrimination can lead to impoverishment, marginalisation and poor quality of life.

Researchers found that 47 per cent of participants experienced discrimination when making friends, while 43 per cent were discriminated against by family members.

Read about support and personalised care at Barchester care homes for anyone with mental health concerns.