In this manifesto, we set out five areas that the next government must address in order to improve the lives of people with mental health problems and promote the mental health of the nation.
Mental health problems such as depression, self-harm, alcohol and drug abuse and suicidal thoughts can affect anyone, but they’re more common among people who are LGBTIQ+.
Close to a quarter of children and one fifth of working age adults live in poverty in Scotland. The impact of this contributes to Scotland having the highest suicide rate in the UK and the highest level of drug related deaths in western Europe.
Research conducted by the Mental Health Foundation has shown that loneliness is one of the leading public health challenges of our time - it can be as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
Covid-19 has changed the world as we know it. The devastating loss of life, months of social isolation and widespread financial instability has brought despair to individuals, families and communities. The initial pandemic has created a new crisis for our nation’s mental health. If we do not take urgent cross-government action our nation’s mental health will pay a heavy price for years to come.
