1 In 10 Teens Think Mental Illness Is ‘fashionable’

PRLog (Press Release) - Dec 23, 2010 -
According to new research by the world’s largest online therapy and coaching platform, 1 in 10 young teenagers view certain mental health illnesses, such as bipolar disorder and self-harming, as ‘fashionable’. The poll also found that 34% of these respondents had lied about having a mental health issue in the past.

www.Mentaline.com conducted the study of 1,192 young people in the UK aged 12-17, in order to find out more about their opinions towards mental health problems. Respondents to the study were asked questions surrounding mental illness, and their knowledge of the subject.
Whilst 11% considered mental illness to be ‘fashionable,’ and a third of these had pretended to have a problem in the past; just over a third, 32%, stated they knew someone with a real mental health issue.

Those who stated that mental health problems were ‘fashionable’ were asked to further explain why this was the case. 49% claimed they made people ‘unique,’ whilst 16% believed that celebrity sufferers had made them fashionable. A quarter, 24%, stated it was ‘just cool’.

The 34% that admitted to pretending to have some kind of mental health problem in the past were asked to specify what the issue was. The top five problems were as follows:
1.    Eating disorders – 22%
2.    Self-harming – 17%
3.    Addiction – 13%
4.    Depression – 12%
5.    Bipolar Disorder– 9%


On the contrary, 7% said that they genuinely thought they had some kind of mental health problem; and the majority, 61%, said that mental health ‘should be taken very seriously.’
Mentaline.com is a webcam based therapy service, which connects psychologists, therapists and life coaches with members of the public who need their assistance. The site offers users sessions with professionals, as well as free access to support forums and free pre-sessions to try out the service.

Jesper Buch, founder of http://www.Mentaline.com, commented on the findings;
“I think it’s hugely shocking that so many young people think mental health problems are ‘fashionable.’ It’s a very sensitive topic and one that should be taken seriously, so to see that many teenagers are quite blasé about the whole thing isn’t good at all.”
He continued;

“I think many young people are too quick to say ‘I’m depressed’ or try to gain attention from their friends and family by pretending to have some kind of personal issue. Your teenage years should be spent enjoying life, not convincing people that you have issues that should be taken extremely seriously. For those who do genuinely believe they have a problem, there are always people there to help. Talk to a professional, or, if you aren’t ready to take that step, simply discuss your problems with a friend or family member.”
LINK http://www.Mentaline.com
ENDS

For more information, or to arrange interviews, please contact Shannon Haigh of 10 Yetis PR Agency on 01452 348211 or e-mail shannon@10yetis.co.uk  
Editor’s notes

http://www.Mentaline.com was founded by Jesper Buch, the millionaire behind online takeaway portal Just-Eat. The site gives users access to webcam based counselling and sessions with therapists, psychologists and life coaches.