1. Why is depression treated almost as a fake illness? As if the person is just miserable?
Mind says: "It's pretty normal for people to feel sad or low: no-one can be happy all the time. If you're going through a rough patch, you might lose interest in things, feel really tired or find yourself crying. Some of these can be symptoms of depression too but the difference is that the feelings don't pass as quickly, or they have a bigger impact on your life. Feeling miserable is part of your normal range of feelings, but feeling depressed means you might need a bit more help and support. Which is why it's so important that people feel like they're being taken seriously when they need support, not just told to cheer up and get on with it. You can find out more in our info on depression."
2. Why wasn't I taught about mental health as much as sex education at school?
Mind says: "You're right that teaching young people about mental health while they're at school would be a great way to stop stigma and increase people's understanding. It could also help people understand when they might help, and where to get it. We know that some schools do great work on this, but we'd like to see it more of this across the board. Time to Change have some great resources to help teachers and youth workers. Young Minds can help too."
3. Due to the nature of mental health issues, should maximum waiting times for treatment be enforced?
Mind says: "As you might know, the government recently announced that they are going to introduce standard waiting times for talking treatments. We were really pleased about this, because in our studies on waiting times we found that it was taking far too long for people to get support. Being left without access to the treatment you need can make your mental health worse. Mind will keep on campaigning to make sure that the government keeps its word."
4. How is mental health discrimination actually identified in the job application process by employers, if at all?
Mind says: "If a mental health problem lasts over a year and has an impact on your ability to carry out day-to-day activities, it can be classed as a disability. Employers and recruiters have a legal duty to make the process of applying for a job fair. They shouldn't deny someone a job because they have a disability, and they should make reasonable adjustments to help people overcome barriers they face because of their disability. Mind has also campaigned to end pre-employment health questionnaires, which has helped make the process fairer."
5. Why does it still take up to a year for people to get any help? Also, when someone is sectioned, why is counselling or group therapy not available?
Mind says: "We know that people are waiting far too long to get help - being without support for a year is unacceptable. It does happen, though, because services are over-subscribed and under-funded. If someone is really unwell and has to go to hospital, it's really important that they have access to treatments like counselling- and not just to medication. We hope that most people do have access to this. Anyone looking for advice about their rights while sectioned, or wanting to know where they can find support, can contact our Infoline on 0300 123 3393, info@mind.org.uk or text 86463."
6. Why are mental health issues STILL avoided in the news? There's been an improvement but it's still not enough.
Mind says: " We're glad you can see improvement,and we can too. But there's still lots to do, which is why we work directly with the media - especially through our Time to Change campaign. We help programme-makers avoid stigmatising descriptions, we encourage media reporters to follow the Samaritans guidelines and we try to make sure that the media covers a whole range of stories about mental health, not just ones that can be sensationalised."
7. I recently found out I have mild child autism. It's hard to find employment. Is there anyone that can help?
Mind says: " We know it can be really tough to face barriers and feel like you're not getting help. The National Autistic Society may be able to give you some advice. You could also try the National Careers Service for advice about job applications and ideas that can boost your CV. We wish you the best of luck, Josh."
8. Why are we denied cannabis for mental health issues, when it's been shown to help?
Mind says: "Evidence for the therapeutic value of cannabis remains mixed. Some people have reported positive effects but others have experienced significant side effects. Cannabis has, in some cases, been seen to have caused someone to have psychotic experiences. We don't know how common this is, and how far cannabis use is the main factor in this happening, but it's understandable that this gets a lot of media attention. Combined with cannabis's use as a recreational drug, governments have been reluctant to go back on the original decision to ban it."
9. Why isn't the government acknowledging more radical drug treatments, like Psilocybin, Ayuausca or MDMA for PTSD, for their potential usefulness in treating mental health issues and coping with terminal illnesses?
Mind says: "Research is happening in a few places on these substances, most notably by Professor David Nutt's team at Imperial College, and the Beckley Foundation too. But once a substance had been made illegal, it usually requires a much higher amount of evidence that it is useful before it can be prescribed. These drugs can also have serious side effects. Ayuausca, for example, often causes unpleasant symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. It is a complex mix of different chemicals that would need to be further researched. As with cannabis, these drugs are often used recreationally and the media attention around them causes governments to be cautious.
10. With so little information on the long term effects of psychiatric medication, why is it so much easier to receive a prescription than psychological counseling?
Mind says: "In western societies, mental health problems have usually been seen as an 'illness' and treatments have been determined by psychiatrists, who are medical doctors. Because of this they more likely to see symptoms as something to be treated with medication, as with any other illness. It is cheaper and quicker to prescribe medication than a talking treatment and if talking treatments are unavailable or have a long waiting list, is can often be the only way to 'do something' about a person's mental health problem."
BBC Free Speech have made a film about mental health. It follows Rebecca, who bravely opens up about her personal experience of self-harming.
View this video on YouTube
The BBC Free Speech mental health special is on Tuesday 21st October, 8pm, LIVE on BBC Three. Follow them on the Free Speech Facebook page and on Twitter @BBCFreeSpeech.
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