Where's the Cavalry?
The crisis we’re facing has affected billions of people across every nation of the world. It’s touched every community, impacted countless families and inflicted unquantifiable damage on the global economy. At present, no one can predict how this epidemic will unfold. But in 2020 alone, an estimated 450 million people are suffering.
And we’re not talking COVID-19.
There are many forms of mental illness. From common disorders like depression and substance abuse, to rarer forms such as body dysmorphia. While viruses have identifiable symptoms that determine if we’re sick, mental health disorders are difficult to pinpoint. Despite common misconception, those suffering aren’t just sad, crazy or angry; disorders are complex, widespread afflictions along a spectrum we all sit on. At one end we have metal health, here we feel content and comfortable. While at the far side, we’re mentally unwell, suffering with a condition that infects our every waking moment. Along the middle reaches - somewhere between light and dark - we might describe ourselves as coping. This line is one most of us will travel up and down our entire lives.
That’s not the only reason mental health disorders are hard to measure. Many suffer with multiple disorders at once. What’s more, figures rely on people speaking up about their struggle. But shame acts like a stuff gag; one shoved so far down the throat of the bound, they choke on their pain and are left suffering in silence. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports an estimated 800,000 deaths by suicide per year. That’s one every 40 seconds. Indications show that for every suicide, more than 20 others were attempted.
So, where’s the cavalry?
Knowing this, why haven’t nations and governments galvanised against our silent enemy? Worldwide cooperation, commitment and unprecedented spending have all been recognised as key factors in the battle against COVID-19. Winning is the priority of every administration and privy to the frontpage of every newspaper.
While the WHO praises the global response to Coronavirus, it reports underinvestment in mental health care; less than US$3 per capita per year. In low income countries, spending can be as low as US$0.25 per person, per year, and almost half of the world’s population live in a country where one physiatrist serves 200,000 people.
Like COVID-19, mental health disorders aren’t exclusive. Considered a first world country, poor metal health costs the UK over £100bn a year in social and economic fallout. Yet the Mental Health Foundation reports, mental health research in the UK is chronically underfunded. And while the UK government boasts a £12billion spend on mental health services in England in 2017-18, these same services are buckling at the knees. The effect? Approximately 5,821 deaths by suicide per year in England, that’s an average of 16 suicides a day. Death by suicide is now the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the country.
We’ve had to systematically change our way of life in order stop the spread of COVID-19. But you can’t catch a mental health disorder, right? Arguable.
Mental illness can be linked to three causes – biological, psychological and social; the latter two have been dangerously overlooked. The WHO cites poor mental health as a social indicator requiring social solutions. The United Nations, when referring to the treatment of depression - the most common mental health disorder – advised we shift our focus from chemical imbalances to imbalances of power. Serotonin isn’t the problem; society is.
Biology plays a part in mental illness, but when it’s not the root cause, we mustn’t make it a scapegoat for change.
Rightly, the global response to COVID-19 has been nothing short of radical. The world has responded in unison, political parties have put differences aside and governments have prioritised both time and budget to overcome the crisis.
In one of only five such addresses throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth II gave a four-minute speech designed to rally national resolve against COVID-19.
Together we are tackling this disease and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute then we will overcome it. I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how we responded to this challenge.
– Queen Elizabeth II
In that same four minutes, 6 people will have died by suicide.
Let’s hope a similar address might one day be made by world leaders in response to the mental health crisis. That we might also take pride in our global response to the silent killer that has spread too far, for too long.